Victoria's Dirty Little Secret
by TohruROX2221
Summary: “Just tell me, are you? Are you having a baby?” At this point I was crying silently. I nodded and whispered, “Yeah.” Rated T.
1. I Hate You When You're Pregnant

**This story was what I got when I first found out about ****The Suite Life On Deck.**** Victoria and Angelique and any other characters you don't recognize are mine. Which will be a lot later on. Please note this is a story about pregnancy. So if you're uncomfortable with teen pregnancy don't read this story. Thank you. Also, all chapters now are named, which is new for this story. Chapter names are either song or movie spoofs. This one is a song spoof. Thanks again.**

* * *

**Chapter One: I Hate You When You're Pregnant**

Zack and Cody Martin, two identical twins, were attending school on a cruise ship. While this was an incredible feat to most, to the two boys it was usual. They were fifteen years old, and their best friend was Victoria Baker.

Victoria, a skater girl, was a mix of Zack and Cody, which explained the friendship. Victoria was a small girl—fourteen and only five foot two—who was extremely smart and logical but loved skateboarding and pretty much being lazy. She had big green eyes with freckles over her red, red cheeks and otherwise pale nose. She had dirty blonde hair like the twins and had a beautiful smile.

Cody and Victoria had just started up a serious relationship and were warming up to it. One day, however, Zack said something that changed everything.

"Cody, here's something that may come in handy!" Zack said, standing in the drugstore in the town the _S.S. Tipton_ was docked in. He was pointing at something behind the counter.

Out of curiosity, Cody walked over. Zack was pointing at condoms.

"Oh, you're so funny," Cody told his twin. "Victoria and I weren't planning anything like that."

"But you never know," Zack said. "Most kids claim not to be like that and…well, you know. I think you should get them."

"No way. Victoria and I aren't having sex."

"But what would happen if you did?"

"We'd be two adults who would be ready to tackle whatever was thrown at us. You have no idea of what could happen after something like that. There are STDs, and pregnancy, and…"

"Blah blah blah, nerd talk," Zack said, extremely bored. "So you're telling me that you're not doing all this serious stuff until you're an adult?"

"Yes, I am."

"Well, at least buy them for me. I know I'd never trust you to not have any. Cause what if…"

"Alright, alright," Cody said.

"Good boy, Cody," Zack said as if his brother was a dog.

"But you're not telling anyone about this," Cody said, walking with his brother to the register.

"Of course not," Zack said. "I don't want anyone to know that you're not so innocent anymore." He said the last sentence tauntingly.

"Um, I can't help but notice you were looking, too, Zack, and you don't even have a girlfriend. Care to explain?"

"I'm just being smart in case something happens, cause you're always telling me stuff about what can go wrong if I…"

"Okay, okay, you've made your point," Cody said, trying to tune out his brother. "Zack?"

Zack turned to face his brother. "Yeah?"

Cody was going pale fast. "Do these things come with instructions?"

Zack slapped a hand to his face. "You're _doomed_if you ever do decide you're ready, Codester."

Cody was slightly embarrassed when he got the register and a pretty teenager was working behind the counter. "Oh, God, no," he muttered.

"What?" Zack realized Cody was talking about the girl working the counter. "Dude, I'm sure someone buys these things everyday. It's probably no big deal."

As Cody looked at the box on the counter, the girl looked at him and asked, "May I help you?"

Cody cleared his throat and said quietly, "Yes, I need to get some…condoms."

"What?"

He cleared his throat again, and said louder. "_Condoms._" People turned to look at him.

"What kind?"

"Uh…well, what do you have? I can't really see…"

"Well, we've got Trojans, or these new ones that glow in the dark…"

He was slightly taken aback. "Glow in the dark?! This isn't Halloween! I don't want to scare her, for God's sake! I think I'll go with the Trojans."

"Econo-pack?" she asked.

"I don't need the econo-pack. Not that I don't _need _it. I just prefer to buy them in smaller quantities. Keep them fresh?"

Zack, once again, slapped a hand to his face. "We're doomed."

The girl snorted. "Size?"

"Size? Well, you better give me the extra large."

"What? Are you sure?" At this point she was looking Cody up and down.

"Of course I'm sure. This isn't the first time I bought condoms or anything. I buy them all the time, like, constantly. Sometimes twice a day. Not that I sleep around. It's just me and my girlfriend." She slid the box on the counter. "Um, Ma'am? Do these come with instructions?"

"Um…_no._" She selected the brand on the screen and the total came up. She pointed at it. Cody slapped the money on the counter and ran out the store as fast as he could.

Zack ran after him. "'I buy them sometimes twice a day'? What were you thinking?"

"I panicked! I don't think they make those things for people our age!"

"Of course they do, are you kidding me? They make them _exactly_ for people our age! We're their target audience!"

Cody looked up and noticed Zack was empty handed. "Hey, where are yours?"

"I already have some."

"_YOU ALREADY BOUGHT CONDOMS BEFORE?!_"

"Whoa there, big boy! Some things we yell, some we whisper."

"But I can't believe you…" Cody stopped talking when he saw Victoria approaching.

"Hey, Cody," she said smiling. "Hi, Zack."

Zack grunted in reply.

"Hey, did I hear you guys talking about _condoms?_"

"No," Cody quickly lied.

"Okay," Victoria said, only half believing him. "Hey, Cody, did you hear? We have such good grades that Mr. Moesby is making honorary valedictorians." She seemed very proud of this accomplishment.

"What? Really?"

"Here we go," Zack said, walking off.

"Yeah. We'll be at the senior's graduation but we'll just be going to the tenth grade. It's this really fancy ceremony thing. My mom is taking me shopping later."

"Shopping? For what?"

"A dress and shoes. And make-up." She shuddered after every phrase. Cody laughed at her reaction.

"Well, thanks for telling me."

* * *

Later that week, after graduation, Victoria and Cody were walking around, laughing.

"I'm just amazed you did it," Victoria said jokingly.

"Did what?"

"Keep your speech under a minute."

Cody hit Victoria gently on the arm. She laughed harder.

"Cody, I…I have something I have to tell you."

"What?"

"I…I may be leaving soon. This may be my last night on the _S.S. Tipton,_ but I don't know yet. God, I really don't want to leave. I mean…I just got here. And I don't want to leave. Not now."

"Well, you know what matters what happens, I'll never let you go."

Victoria smiled. "Thanks, Cody."

Holding hands, Victoria and Cody walked to the fiesta deck to look at the stars. "Look…there's a shooting star," Victoria said.

"They say if you make a wish on a shooting star, it will come true," Cody said. Both shut their eyes and made a wish in their head, rather than out loud. They turned to each other after they were done. "What'd you wish for?" Cody asked.

"For me to stay here on the S.S. Tipton. To not have to leave you and Zack. For this night to never end. What about you?"

"I wished for the same things," Cody said, and they both laughed.

"Cody?"

Cody turned and looked at his girlfriend. "Have you ever wondered…what it would be like if…if we…well, if one of us kind of spent the night together?"

"Yeah, I have," Cody said. "And I kind of want to."

"No, not at my suite, at yours."

"Oh. Well, we could do that, too, if you'd like. Woody's not going to be there because he's spending the summer with his parents. And Zack's spending the night with someone else, so we could be alone if you'd like."

Victoria smiled. Cody offered her his hand, and she gratefully took it. They took the slowest way possible to the suite. For no really reason, Cody locked it. While there, they just watched _The Notebook_ for a while even though Cody expressed about a thousand times how much he hated it. They were going to watch _Titanic_, but they didn't think that watching a romance taking place on a ship that would end up sinking would be the best movie to watch at sea school.

After the movie, it was mostly silent. "I hope I can stay on the _S.S. Tipton,_" Victoria finally said, sighing a little.

"I have to," he told her back. "My mom's making me." He leaned forward and gave Victoria a gentle peck on the cheek.

"Cody…? Did you want to…?"

"Are you thinking of sex?" he asked a little nervously.

"Yes," she said, slightly embarrassed.

"Me—me, too," he said, embarrassed himself.

"We…we could…but only if you wanted to," she added.

"Only if you want to," Cody told her.

They finally decided they would. When sitting on bed, Cody fumbled around in his pocket for something—condoms. Victoria quickly threw her shoes off. She eased herself down on the bed, and Cody lay on top of her.

"Are you sure you want to…?"

"Just shut up and let's get this over with," Victoria said quickly.

Cody reached down and took off Victoria's shirt easily. Though nervous, he did it with ease. "Now you," he told her.

Victoria reached down and, without difficulty, unbuttoned Cody's pants and slid them off his long legs. She then discarded his boxers. With the new freedom, Cody carefully used the condoms he bought. Then he took her panties off her slowly, still very much afraid.

Slowly, however, he warmed up to the idea.

Two hours later, they were asleep, side-by-side.

* * *

_Three Weeks Later_  
It was three weeks later and Victoria went to the drugstore on board the _S.S. Tipton,_ a little worried. She had lost her virginity almost a month ago, and here she was now, missing her period. She knew that every twenty-eight days she should get it without fail, but it was gone, and for once, she missed having it to remind her of 'womanhood'.

In the drugstore—why would there be a drugstore on a _cruise ship?_—she realized the only pregnancy tests were behind the counter that a young male was working.

She put fifteen dollars on the counter and said, "Um…can I have an E.P.T. pregnancy test?"

He scoffed. "Aren't you a little young?"

"Um…"

"Hell, what do I care? Here." He handed her the test. "Change?"

"No, thank you though."

She walked back to her suite and took the test. The box said that it would take a few minutes, so she sang her and Cody's song—_I'll Be_ by Edwin McCain—quietly to herself. When she looked down, she burst into tears.

She was pregnant.

* * *

**Thanks for reading this rewrite!! I love you all for reading this fic!!**

**--Maddie Marie**


	2. I'll Be Your Crying Shoulder

**Here is the second rewritten chapter. Again, thank you. **

**Chapter Two: I'll Be Your Crying Shoulder**

"Meet me in the lobby in twenty minutes. Bye."

Victoria hung up. How could this have happened? She had seen Cody put on a condom, how could she be pregnant? Did it break? But…why did he have them in the first place?

It didn't matter anyway. She was pregnant, no denying it. It was times like these she wished she were closer to her mother. She knew she had to tell him, but a part of her was screaming to keep it secret.

As she walked down, she was thinking to herself the reasons she _should_ tell him, and the reasons she shouldn't. Victoria decided to act on impulse, whatever that meant.

* * *

Cody smiled as she stepped out of the elevator. "Hey, hon," he said, kissing her quickly on the lips. She wanted the moment to last. "Come on, let's go."

They sat down at their table in the restaurant on the ship. Cody smiled. Victoria didn't even grin back.

"Victoria, dear, what's wrong?"

Victoria started to cry a silent cry.

"Vic…Victoria, honey, what is it? You can tell me. What's wrong? Are you going home? Is something wrong? Did Zack do something? Ssh, it's alright…"

At that point Cody had crossed to Victoria and stood her up. He then took her back to his chair and sat her on his lap, his arms around him. She cried into his shoulder, afraid to say anything too soon. Finally, she said something.

"Cody."

"What is it?"

"Remember what happened after the graduation?"

Cody frowned. "Yeah, but why bring that up now?"

"Because, Cody, I need to ask you…" She lowered her voice so no one would hear. "You used a condom, right?"

"Yeah, I did. Why?"

"Just a question, is all."

"But why are you crying if all you wanted to know was if I used protection or not? Do you have STDs or something?"

"No, no, I don't." She sighed. "Cody?"

"Yes, Victoria?"

"I'm pregnant."

There was silence. "What—but—I—you—me—how—?"

"Are you planning on finishing any of those statements?"

"But, no, I mean, you, and…"

"I'm pregnant, didn't you hear?"

"Well, yeah, but…that's not possible. I used protection, and—"

"Those things are only seventy-five percent effective, and it's rubber. It could break."

"Is it…_mine?_"

"Yeah."

"But it's not possible, I mean…"

"Well, obviously it is possible, otherwise I wouldn't be telling you this right now, would I?"

"But it was your first time…and _my_ first time…"

"This kind of stuff happens."

Cody half smiled. "Please tell me this is some sort of joke."

"You think I'm _kidding?_ You think I would joke about me being fourteen and pregnant? Do you think I really like telling my boyfriend I'm going to have a baby long before I'm ready? Because I don't think I'd do that even on April Fool's Day."

"Well…what are you going to do?"

"Abortion."

"What?"

"Abortion. I mean, I can't _have_ the thing, and…"

"Yes, you can! You _have_ to! There's no other way!"

"What? In case you didn't realize it, it's _my_ baby, in _my_ body, so I think it's okay for me to make a decision on this." Cody's face went blood red, and he lost his temper and started to yell.

"_WELL, IT'S _MY_ BABY, TOO! IN FACT, _I_ DID MOST OF THE WORK MAKING IT, SO YOU BETTER LISTEN TO WHAT I SAY!_"

"Listen to what _you_ say? I'm barely listening to my conscience at this point! And you did most of the work making it? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Yes, I _did_ do most of the work, you just laid there like the little slut you are, and the entire time you didn't think of what to do in case this happened."

"Well, while _you_ were doing 'most of the work' you were also ruining my life!"

"Ruined _your_ life? What about mine? I can't be a father, I'm only fifteen, sixteen when it's born if we're lucky. This ruins my chances of getting into a good school one day, and, well…"

"Maybe I _should_ get this abortion. Then I'll be rid of your stupid DNA in my body."

"Right now I value life more than the relationship we used to have. You're not getting any…"

"Wait, _used_ to have?" At this point Victoria's voice had softened and she was on the verge of tears again.

"Yes, we're _through!_ If I can't get a say in my own child's life than I say we had no relationship in the first place."

"So you don't value our relationship?"

"Not if you think abortion is the only option here. I value life first and foremost, that's the way it's always been. Even if you don't keep it you still need to have it."

"But I'm _scared!_"

"No shit you're scared, any frikkin' person on earth would be scared shitless right now! Okay? So don't give me any of that whole I'm scared business, because I can assure you, I am, too, and I don't want anything to do with this."

"When did you turn into such a bastard?"

"When you went and dropped the bomb on me and ruined my life!"

"Oh, yeah? At least you don't have the evidence under your sweater. That's my job."

At this point Victoria was crying.

"Don't be such a baby. I don't think you're even mature enough to _have_ this baby, let alone get an abortion."

"Well, you could have used protection!"

"I told you, I did, and it broke! It's not my damn fault. What did you want me to do, use three damn condoms in case that happened?"

"No, but…"

"But nothing. All I can say is if you decide to keep the damn thing my name better not be showing up on the birth certificate. Under father's name or as it's last name. And you better not sign it Victoria Martin, either, because then I'd kill you."

"How would you even know?"

With the anger inside him, Cody slapped Victoria across the face. She fell to the ground.

"What the…? I thought I could trust you!"

"The last thing you're getting from me is trust, other than respect."

"I thought you said you did most of the work making the kid."

"Keep my comments out of this. I hate you and it right now, you have no idea."

"'It'?"

"Like we know if it's a girl or a boy. Right now, I don't even know if you're human."

Victoria ran, crying, to the elevator, and back up to the suite. There, her mother was scolding Angelique for about the thirtieth time for failing most of her classes. The two of them looked up when she entered the room.

"Victoria, sweetie, are you okay?" she asked, noticing the mark on Victoria's face from where Cody slapped her. "That looks like it hurts. Let me get some medicine for that…hold on…"

"Mom. Mom, I'm leaving."

"What?" She turned, facing her daughter who had tears streaming down her face. "Where would you go?"

"Anywhere," she said, going to get her suitcase. "I just need to get away awhile."

"Well…I don't know…"

"_Please,_ Mom. I'm begging you. I don't want to see anyone for a while now. Okay? I just want to be by myself."

"Are you moving out?"

"I'll stay in contact. Please, Mom, just let me do this. I need to be an individual."

"Well…alright, though it's against my better judgment."

"Thank you, Mom. I love you."

She started to pack all of her things. She was picking up personal belongings now and was almost done when she came across a picture of Cody. Hesitating, she picked it up. She wanted her child to know what it's father looked like.

"Well. I'm going."

"I'll miss you."

She hugged her mom good-bye before going down one last time.

* * *

In the lobby after disembarking from the elevator, she saw Cody standing there, a look of hate on his otherwise beautiful face. He seemed a little surprised to see bags in her hands, but was still cold toward her.

"If you think you're going to live with me, you're nuts. Did your mommy kick you out?" he said tauntingly.

"My mother has no idea. Now stay out of this."

"What are you doing?"

Pausing, she answered, "I'm leaving."

"What?! Where?"

"None of your business. All I know is I'm leaving. I never want to see you again, even if it means raising a baby alone. If you don't want me, I don't want you. Besides, you don't care enough to help me, anyway. I thought you were a better person. But I was wrong."

Grabbing her wrist tightly, he said, "Look, I am a good person. But there is no way I am taking care of a kid when I'm not even married or out of school yet. And I thought that maybe you'd be smart enough to do the same thing."

Suddenly, she leaned forward and kissed him.

"Wha—what was that for?" he asked, baffled. "I thought we broke up."

"It was for memories. Long lost memories." She started to cry again. "Good-bye, Cody Martin."

"Victoria, wait…" But she was gone, not around to hear it. He knew if all of a sudden she left, he'd go looking for her. The truth was, he loved her so much it hurt him. He only snapped at her for a way to relieve the stress he was under. He actually wasn't sure of what he should have done. But now he knew.

* * *

At the airport, Victoria sat down, her face in her hands, crying. An elderly woman walked up.

"Excuse me, deary, do you mind if I sit down there for a second?" the woman asked with a strong British accent.

Victoria looked up. "Not at all," she said.

The woman took notice of the bruise across Victoria's face. "Are you alright there? Do you need some iodine?"

"No, I'm fine."

"What happened to you, sweetheart?"

"My boyfriend broke up with me. He was the only thing I had left. He slapped me in the process."

"Oh, my. Are you all right there? What'd he say?"

"A lot of things. Mostly about how 'he did most of the work' and that 'he valued life first and foremost'."

"Well, it's going to be tough, but maybe in time you'll get over him. Where you going now, deary?"

"Boston. I have nowhere else to go." Victoria had decided to go to Boston because that's where Cody used to live. She wanted her child to grow up in the same place that his or her father did, considering they'd never know him anyway.

"Well then. I wish you the best of luck. I've got to get going now." With that, she smiled at Victoria while standing up and left.

* * *

"Where could she be? Where could she run off to?"

Cody was pacing back and forth, trying to figure out what to do. He had to apologize, he realized that quickly, but he wasn't quite sure how or when he was supposed to do it. He had pretty much broken her heart; she probably wouldn't be too forgiving.

Suddenly, he remembered what happened.

* * *

"_What are you doing?"_

"_I'm leaving."_

"_What?! Where?"_

"_None of your business. All I know is I'm leaving."_

* * *

Suddenly, one word came to mind: airport.

He ran upstairs to his suite, looking around for a bag to put his stuff in. Zack looked on in awe.

"Dare I ask what you're doing?"

Quickly, Cody came up with a lie. "College."

"Huh?"

"College. I got accepted into a very demanding college, so I'm going. And not coming back until I finish, which will probably be a while."

"But I…"

"I can't talk. Gotta go."

Quickly he arrived at the airport, out of breath. He ran up to the front desk and asked, barely breathing, "Victoria…Baker…what flight…did she go on?"

The attendant quickly looked up the name Victoria Baker. "I'm sorry, I don't have a Victoria Baker registered as flying anywhere."

"Victoria Martin, then."

The attendant once again looked her up. "She's scheduled to fly to Boston, Massachusetts in about two hours. She bought her ticket last minute and should be arriving in the waiting area about now."

"I need a last minute ticket to Boston as well. First name Cody. Last name Martin."

"Cody Martin? Are you related to this Victoria person then?"

"No, she's just my best friend. Ironic, isn't it?"

"Okay…that will be…"

"Will this cover it?" he asked, slapping bills on the counter.

"It should," the attendant said, smiling. "Here, let me check your bag."

As soon as he was past security, Cody went on a frantic search for Victoria. Finally, he found her, head down and writing, at the waiting area. He ran up to her and realized she was writing in a diary.

_July 6  
__Dear Diary,_

_I know I don't write often, and when I do it's either really bad or really good, but this is one of those occasions. I have some terrible news to tell you, but I'm a little afraid to admit what it is. I'm pregnant. Cody is the father. He broke up with me, and I'm on my own._

_I have no idea about what I'm supposed to do. I know I'm _having_ the baby, I just can't get an abortion (Cody convinced me), but I don't know what to do with the baby after it's born. I am so scared, lost, and confused, and don't know what in the world to do right now. Mom doesn't know, or Angelique. Just Cody—and maybe that was a mistake, considering he called me a few names and slapped me._

_That's right. He slapped me for asking how he would know if I used his last name as the baby's. I'm not sure what lead him up to it, but suddenly, he just—_slapped _me. It doesn't hurt that bad anymore, what hurts is my broken heart._

_For some reason I saw him as supporting me, helping me along the way. Now, I'm going to be a single new mother in high school. I'll be missing out on everything. Maybe even my child's life. Maybe adoption_ is _the right way to go._

_Well, I have to go now, but I promise I will talk to you later._

_—Victoria H. Baker_

At that point Cody said, "Victoria."

Victoria looked up and gasped. "Stay away from me." She didn't say it as a question, but as a demand. "I thought you didn't want anything to do with me. I thought this child was a mistake, and that you 'did most of the work'."

"All of that is true," Cody admitted. "I _did_ do most of the work because you know what kind of role the father plays in this whole baby making thing. This child _was_ a mistake. We're just teenagers, so we don't want a kid. And I _don't_ want anything to with you because I want everything to do with you."

"What?"

"I don't know what I was thinking when I snapped at you or slapped you. It was stupid, and I'm sorry."

"Well, apology _not _accepted. I still don't know if I can trust you just yet. I mean, you broke my heart, yelled at me when I told you I was pregnant, and slapped me across the face, all the while throwing accusations at me. I'm not supposed to be that for—"

Cody leaned in and kissed her, silencing her. Both were thinking the same things: _God, I missed doing this._

As soon as they pulled away, Victoria started to cry. Cody sat down, and she cried into his shoulder while he had a protective arm around her. "I'm still so scared," Victoria told him.

"I know, I am, too. But you have the right to be scared more, I guess. I don't have to do any of the stuff you're doing. But—"

At this point, Cody reached into his pocket and pulled out his iPhone, and played a song to tell her what he was trying to say. It was _their_ song.

_The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful  
Stop me and steal my breath  
And emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky  
Never revealing their depth_

And tell me we belong together  
And dress it up with the trappings of love  
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips  
Instead of gallows of heartbreak that hang from above  
_  
I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be your love suicide  
I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life_

"Cody, I—I don't know what to say."

"Just—don't, okay? Maybe silence is better right now."

* * *

After landing in Boston, Cody was looking at a map of the city he had picked up in the airport.

"What?" Victoria asked him when she noticed he looked puzzled.

"There's something you forgot when you made your plan."

"And what's that?"

"Where to live."

Silence fell while the both of them thought. They could stay in an apartment, but then space would be limited. They could buy a house, but that would be too expensive.

"The Tipton," Victoria said.

"What?"

"The Tipton. We could stay there for a while until things get settled. But it's okay, isn't it? I mean, it's not too far?"

"Well—okay. It might be costly, though."

"Let's try anyway."

* * *

**I hope everyone likes the change of this story. The old version seemed pretty pathetic to me compared to this one. Please review. It makes me smile. :) Also, in case you didn't notice, the song Cody played was an older song by Edwin McCain called _I'll Be._ It was released in 1998 so that makes it 11 years old. But it's a beautiful song. It's definitely a wedding song. But I hope you like this rewrite.**

* * *

* * *


	3. She Said I Think I'll Go To Boston

****

Here is the rewrite of chapter three. I hope this chapter is longer than the one I originally had up.

* * *

**Chapter Three: She Said I Think I'll Go to Boston**

The Tipton hotel had changed much since Zack and Cody left. Carey had found work for the city and moved out, but remained in Boston. A new cabaret singer named Donna Jo Cullen was hired. A new manager, Karen Fisicaro, was filling in while Moesby was on the _S.S. Tipton._ Everything was very serene and peaceful. Esteban still worked there, but Arwin had found work elsewhere. Norman the doorman was still there as well.

Then Cody and Victoria arrived.

They walked in quietly to find Esteban standing in the lobby, straightening up pillows on a futon. He looked up when he heard the door open.

"Little blonde peoples?" he asked. "Where's Zack?"

"Zack's not here right now," Cody told Esteban. "But this is my friend Victoria. Victoria, Esteban."

"Pleasure," Victoria said. "Isn't he the one with the pet chicken?"

"Si!" he said happily. "Would you like to see pictures?"

"No…that's alright," Victoria said, a little worried on Esteban's behalf.

"Hey, Esteban, Victoria and I…we need to stay here for a little while but…we have no money…and nowhere else to go to…and we were wondering…if you could maybe get us a place to stay a while?"

"Take it up with Mrs. Fisicaro," Esteban said, gesturing to the manager.

Cody looked over. "I barely know her!"

"Well, I can't do anything about it!"

Victoria gave Cody a warming smile. He walked over.

"Are you _sure_ you don't want to see Dudley?" Esteban asked.

"Although I'm a vegetarian, I really don't want to look at pictures of a stranger's chicken."

"But he's so cute! Especially when his…"

"I don't wanna know!"

Back to where Cody was, he was attempting to talk to Mrs. Fisicaro. "Hi, I'm Cody, and I really need a place to stay with my…friend, but we have no money and nowhere else to go. Can you help us?"

"Oh, you poor people," Mrs. Fisicaro said. "You can stay here if you want. Here. Let me find you a room." She looked in her computer, then told Cody, "We have room 1274 open, on the twelfth floor, or 1455 on the fourteenth floor. Which will it be?"

"1274 is fine," Cody said, taking the room key. "Thanks. You're a saint." He grabbed Victoria's hand. "Come on."

"_Yes! _Away from his chi—I mean…okay."

In the elevator, they were dead quiet. "You doing alright?" he asked Victoria.

"Fine," she said. She wasn't looking at him saying this but rather directly past him.

"What?"

"We're going to be new parents in _high school._"

"Crazy, isn't it?" It seemed that reality was just setting in for him. "I mean… I remember when I was telling people a few years ago they had to pilot their own life, and was just so innocent, and now, I got my girlfriend pregnant, and in fear we ran away from the people we love, just so…what's wrong?"

Victoria was once again crying. "We were so stupid," she told him.

"I know we made a mistake, but…"

"Not that. I mean we left the ones we loved just so we wouldn't have to tell them anything, but I think they would have been supportive. Especially your brother. I know Zack would have been fine about all of this, but instead, we didn't tell him anything…you _didn't_ tell them anything, did you?" Before Cody could answer, Victoria said, "Oh, my God, you did! Now he's going to think that we're…"

"I didn't tell him anything. In fact, I was too afraid he'd be angry with me to say anything that was true. I just made up some stuff before I left."

"Cody."

"Yes, Victoria?"

"I'm not ready to be a mother."

"I know, but we still have a while, don't we? Like…how long did you know?"

"I found out about ten hours ago," she said truthfully. "Give or take."

"Perfect. We still have time to go. Just don't worry."

"Okay. Cody?"

"Yes, Victoria?"

She was getting ready to say 'I love you', but was slightly afraid to. "Never mind, it's not important."

"Oh."

* * *

That night, she attempted to sleep several times—the first time since she found out she was pregnant—but either woke up from screaming or crying.

After about the sixth time, Cody asked her, "Victoria, you've been screaming and crying in your sleep. Is something bothering you?"

"I can't do this," she told him, crying to herself.

"Do what?"

"This!" she cried, pointing at her stomach. "I can't have a kid, I'm not ready. I don't see how _anyone_ could so young. Even younger than us sometimes."

"I know, I know, but we're going to do this together. I'll be there for you the entire time. Even in the hospital when I'm ready to pass out because I'm just thinking, oh my God, this isn't happening."

"Thanks Cody, that's really reassuring," Victoria said sarcastically.

"Do you get what I'm trying to say, though?"

"Not really."

"I'm trying to say I'll be with you every step of the way, even when I feel I need to be somewhere else. I'll stand by you and I won't let anyone hurt you. I know I was stupid before, and I hope you forgive me?"

"Of course I do. Thanks, Cody."

"You're welcome, Victoria."

**I'm not sure if I did a better job on making this longer, but I hope everyone enjoys the rewrite! If not, you can go jump in a lake. Just kidding. :)**


	4. Author's Note

Author's Note:

Yes, I am even rewriting an author's note. I'm sure some of you probably read this story previously and reread it for old times sake and are wondering, "What? What happened to this? Or to that?" Well, the other day I decided it was time for a rewrite, because I realized my story's first three chapters were _nothing _compared to what I was writing for the last few chapters.

It was the same story, but it seemed like two different ones for me. So I suggest you don't ask what happened in the story before this edit, because I won't tell you anyway.

There is, however, one thing I will keep in this author's note that was in the original, and I am leaving the rest of it the way I had it in the original, so this is what it said:

_Author's Note (Not the real chapter four.)_

_Today was a rough day, so I couldn't write much of chapter 3. That's because today I found out that my friend Erika Kathryn Maas died on Saturday, December 6, 2008. She was only 23 years old. Her death was caused by diabetes and complications from gastric bypass. It was in the obituaries of my city paper._

_I hardly got to know Erika, but I miss her so much. I cried throughout the day today, including at school. Please don't try to get me kicked off this website, because I love it but you have to be thirteen to use it, but I'm twelve, and I've known Erika for since I was six. On one of my YouTube accounts, MadisonMarieBull, AnNeLuVr692 or TohruROX2221, I will make a video of me singing I Miss You by Miley Cyrus._

_All today when I did something I didn't want to do or was afraid to do, I told myself, "Do it for Erika." So that's how I got through my day. I told myself Erika was looking down on me from Heaven and she appreciated what I was thinking. When I cried this morning when I found out, I told myself Erika would just be happy I liked her enough to miss her. When I had to finish my homework during class in second period, I told myself, "Erika will be happy you're doing homework even though you're upset." When I had to perform my choreography dance in front of my dance class today with my friend Sabrina and I was afraid, I told myself, "Erika would want you to be brave."_

_So I will probably update less often now because I'm still upset about the loss of Erika. But I would like to dedicate "Victoria's Dirty little Secret" to Erika Kathryn Maas. Good bye, Erika; you will be missed and you are loved. But you are in God's arms now, and He will look after you._

Please note that was the original Author's note. Obviously I _did_ update less often, because I was on a hiatus for about four months after the whole incident. But I never got around to singing I Miss You. I meant to do it, but my web cam would make the entire thing silent, my mom's camera isn't compatible with _my_ computer (it is with hers), and my camera just sucks.

So anyway, this story is dedicated to Erika Mass, a longtime friend, and I rewrote it, so people who read it when it was horrible, please don't be like 'wtf what happened', because I have stated several times that I rewrote it.

Thank you.

**--Maddie Marie**


	5. We Fight We Almost Break Up

**Hiatus sucks, I know! Well I'm continuing now!!**

* * *

"Cody? Wanna go to the lobby with me?"

Victoria Baker, the small fourteen-year-old pregnant girl was sitting on her bed in her suite in the real life Boston Tipton.

"Okay. What are you going to the lobby for?" Cody asked.

"I applied for a job at this one place and I wanted to see if I got a letter from them yet."

"Sure! Just let me grab the room key," Cody said, turning around and picking a card up off a desk in the suite.

The entire elevator ride down, Cody held Victoria's hand. Then suddenly Victoria broke the silence with two words: "I lied."

"What?" Cody asked. He was a little shocked. What could have Victoria possibly lied about? He had only known her for a matter of months.

"I—I told you and Zack on the _S.S. Tipton_ that in California I was a popular girl. But I wasn't. I only had a few friends—and most of them were boys, and…"

"Victoria. I'm not mad. Really, I'm not. But you didn't have to lie to us like that."

"I know. That's why I told you. Because I felt guilty."

"Well, I feel guilty too."

It was Victoria's turn to be shocked. "For what?"

"What do you think? For sleeping with you!"

"SHUSH!" Victoria said. The elevator doors were shut, but she didn't want to chance it. "Cody, be quiet!"

"Victoria, I hate to break it to you, but we're the only two people in a soundproof elevator. Who's going to hear me say that we…"

"Okay, okay, just _shut up!_"

Cody laughed. "Well…can't we at least _talk_ about it? I mean, that is our future and all…"

"You're lucky this elevator moves so slow."

Cody laughed again. "So that's a yes…?"

"Fine. Pushy."

Cody stopped smiling, deep in thought. "You could have used protection," Victoria finally snapped.

Cody looked angered. "Well, like I told you, I _did,_ but it broke, so it's not my fault!"

"Oh, isn't it?"

"No, it's not! And if you _really_ wanted to be protected against this, _you_ would have used birth control!" Cody couldn't believe they were having this conversation for the second time in one month. They were snapping in each other's faces, and they didn't even care.

"Well, I didn't think I'd need to! I don't go around thinking, 'Gee, I think I'm going to have sex tonight, maybe I should buy some birth control.' And why did you have condoms, anyway?"

"Zack wanted me to have them, okay?"

"Oh, and do you do _everything_ your brother says?"

"No, I don't! It just _seemed_ like the right thing to do at the time!"

"It seemed like it at the _time_? If it was only when Zack told you, why'd you end up using one after graduation?"

"I don't know! And I recall your sister telling you to get birth control, but you didn't, so it looks you don't care if you get pregnant!"

"That's because I didn't think I'd be having sex anytime in the future!"

"Oh, really?"

"Really! Gosh sometimes I hate you!"

"Sometimes? Because it seems to be a common thing now!"

"I WISH I NEVER MET YOU!"

Cody froze. "W-what was that?"

"I wish I never met you, Cody Martin! I wish I never met you, I wish I never became your friend, I wish I never dated you, I wish I never kissed you, I wish I never hugged you, I wish I never had sex with you, I wish I never got pregnant with your child, I wish I never decided to keep said child, I wish I never moved in with you, hell, I even wish I never had this conversation with you!"

"What are you saying?" Cody asked pryingly.

"I'm saying…" Cody smirked. He knew she'd never have the guts to say it, or end up regretting what she said. "I'm saying I hate you," she finished. Cody was taken aback. The elevator opened, and Victoria ran out, crying furiously into her hands. She ran down the block out the Tipton and ran to a bench in the park.

Cody stood in the lobby of the Tipton looking shocked. He hadn't meant for the argument to go that far. Honestly, he had no idea what to do. Sinking down in a chair, he weighed his options:

_Okay, you could forget about her. It's not like she's coming back. No, that's stupid, I could never just forget about Victoria Harlow Baker. I just…I just can't! Okay, then there's the second option: pretend you never had the argument if she _does_ return…which she will. Won't she? Well, there's pretty little option number three: wait here until she returns. But what if she doesn't? Damn, this baby is making think weird. Okay, option four: run after her. But where did she go? Shit, this list sucks!_

He didn't even notice Esteban watching him the entire time. "Hola, little blond people," Esteban said nervously.

_Option five: talk to Esteban._

"Esteban, can we talk…man to man?" _That sounded weird,_ he thought after the words left his mouth.

"I'm not telling you about the birdsies and the beesies!" Esteban exclaimed. When Cody gave him a weird look, he said, "Force of habit."

"Well…you know my friend Victoria?"

"Si, the other little blonde person…only this time it's blonde with an 'e'."

"Well, Victoria isn't just my friend."

"Cody, I kind of figured that out a long time ago. When I first saw you two together, really."

"Yeah, right. Well Esteban, we…we kind of made…a mistake."

"A mistake? Like what?"

"We…kind of…_slept_ together one night." Cody couldn't believe he was telling Esteban this.

"Slept?" Esteban said, not getting it at first, then he said out loud, "Oh, Cody…"

"And well…one thing led to another and now…"

"Oh, Cody…" Esteban said again. "Are you two blonde peoples sure?"

"Yes, we're positive. It's only been a month, but she's already starting to show."

"Is this what you needed to talk about?"

"Well, no, there's more. It's just that…it's just that we're not sure about what to do with the child, because we're both so young, and it deserves better, and we never agree on anything about it. And just now, in the elevator, we…we got into an argument, and…and I _really_ made her mad. Like, I made her so mad she ran off somewhere, and I'm not sure where she went!"

"Well, I'm no expert on women, but I do know that they can get irritable during…well, during _pregnancy,_ so maybe it wasn't just you that made her upset."

"I yelled right in her face about how stupid she was!"

Esteban smiled even though he didn't want to. "Well, then again, maybe it _is_ your fault…"

"Oh, thanks!"

"Well, do you want the truth or not?"

"I kind of want it, actually."

"Well, again, I'm not an expert with women, because the only woman I've ever dated left me for a man that could ballroom dance…"

"But what about that nurse, uh…Shannon?"

"Oh, sure, we kissed and all, but that was the last I saw of her. But I do know that I, Esteban Julio Ricardo Montoya de la Rosa Ramirez, will not go back to work until I have helped you with your problem!"

"_What_ was that, Esteban Julio Rica…whatever you said?"

Esteban wheeled around and standing behind him was the new Tipton manager, Miss Karen Fisicaro.

"I said that I, Esteban Julio Ricardo Montoya de la Rosa Ramirez, will go back to work!"

Cody's mouth dropped open in shock. "_ESTEBAN!!_"

"I'm sorry but," he glanced at Miss Fisicaro and shrugged, "she scares me."

"I _what?_" Karen said.

"In a good way!" Esteban said smiling.

As Esteban rushed off somewhere, Karen rolled her eyes and sat down next to Cody. "I may not be, well…of the male gender, but I'm happy to help with your problem, uh…"

"Cody. My name is Cody Martin."

"Martin, Martin…aren't you the son of the cabaret singer, Carey?"

"Nowejusthavethesamelastname," Cody said in a rush.

"Come again?"

"I mean, no, we just have the same last name."

"Are you sure? Because you look just like her! Except, well, you're a boy…and blond…but still, just like her!"

"Look, just forget it, okay?" Cody said, sighing and standing up. "I was stupid, so Victoria ran off."

"I'm guessing you care about this girl…Victoria?"

"More than you know," Cody said sighing.

"Well, what's going on between the two of you?" Cody told her everything he told Esteban. He even told Karen about the list of things he made in his head. She never interrupted once, not even to say 'oh, Cody' like Esteban.

"Well, I think the only thing you can do is find her and apologize," she said at last. "Like you said, she's expecting, so her hormones are a little, well…messed up right now. Trust me, I've got two sons and a daughter, so I know what I'm talking about."

"Thanks, but…"

"But…"

"But…but what about the child? What are we going to do with him slash her?"

"I have no idea. That's for you and Victoria to figure out. Come on." Karen took some guys out of her coat pocket.

"Where are we going?" Cody asked curiously.

"Going to find her, of course!" Karen said. "You're not telling me you're just going to let your pregnant girlfriend to wander the streets, are you?"

"I don't know. I kind of want some alone time, if you know what I'm saying."

"Oh. You're saying you want to walk to find her?"

Cody was puzzled. "When did I say that?"

"Cody, you're not leaving her out there. If you really care about her so much, go find her, because I know she'd want you to. I just get girls."

A small part of Cody told him he was going to do that anyway even if Miss Fisicaro hadn't offered. "Thanks. Wait—how do you just get girls?"

Karen closed her eyes. How couldn't he figure it out? She was a _girl_ after all! "College," she said sarcastically at long last.

Cody actually believed it. Smiling, he said, "Awesome! I can't wait to go to college!" As he left, he thought to himself, _well, according to what I told Zack, I'm already _in_ college. Oh, great…_

He wandered Boston, wondering what he would say once he found Victoria. _Victoria, I'm sorry my condom broke and I got you pregnant?_ That was stupid, but that was what she wanted to hear. _I'm sorry that I told you that you should have used birth control?_ If the first one was bad, this one was worse! _I'm sorry_ was probably the only thing _to_ say. He finally found her on a bench in the park, bending down a little, so he couldn't see what she was doing.

"Victoria, I'm sor—"

He gasped and stopped mid sentence. Victoria had turned around. Her mascara was running down her face, and she was bleeding from her wrist. She was losing a lot of blood, and tears were mixed with her mascara. An old razor was in her hand that wasn't bleeding. She was attempting suicide.

* * *

**Okay, I just had to throw that in there. And I _will_ kill Victoria if you don't give me positive reviews. :) So, you decide: dead character, or happy alive character? It depends on the reviews.**

**--Maddie Marie**


	6. Never Back Down

"Victoria! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Cody! I-I can explain!"

Cody at this point was ripping off the bottom of his shirt. Victoria was crying harder at this point. "Oh, God…Cody, I'm s-sorry! R-really I a-am!" Suddenly Cody reached out and grabbed Victoria's hand. He jerked it near him and wrapped the fabric around the open wound and pressed down on it. He was glad he paid attention during bio that year. He looked at Victoria to give her a lecture but noticed how hard she was crying…her entire body was shaking.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…! I j-just ca-ca-can't…can't…can't…"

"You can't what?"

Victoria couldn't take it anymore and she was crying into Cody's shoulder. He put his arms around her as she cried. For the first time, Cody noticed the park was absolutely empty. That was very unusual for the very busy Boston.

"A-anyway, why do y-you c-care?"

"I care because…because I love you, Victoria." The truth. He had been wanting to get the truth off his chest for a while, but he never had the guts to do so. He figured now would be the perfect time.

To his surprise, Victoria didn't say something like that she loved him back, or anything along those lines. Instead, she said, "N-no you don't!"

"Yes, I do. Why else am I still here? Why else am I so supportive? Why else am I awake half the night to listen to your problems? Why else did I follow you down here? Why else am I so protective of you?"

"O-okay, y-you m-made your poi-point," Victoria said bitterly. Cody laughed and looked down. He hadn't realized he had been holding the 'bandage' around Victoria's hand the entire time. He pressed down harder to try to make the bleeding stop.

"What are you doing _here_?" The question he had been dieing to ask, to know the answer to…

"A-after I ra-ran off on y-you li-like that, I just kept running and de-decided to j-just st-stop at somew-where em-empty. And the p-park was the fir-first de-deserted p-place I saw."

It was hard to understand her with her stammering, but Cody eventually figured out that she said she was running to a deserted place and the park was the deserted place she was looking for.

"Where'd you find that razor?"

Victoria looked worried when he asked. She slowly said, "W-when I go-got here, I—I tr-tripped a-and fell dow-down. A-and I-I c-cut myself on some-something, and w-when I loo-looked to s-see what it—what it was—I s-saw it sti-sticking out of the—the ground."

"You _cut_ yourself?! Where?!"

"Well, ob-obviously m-my wrist, a-and all-also my knee."

Cody looked down and at Victoria's knee, her jeans were cut open and she was losing blood fast. "Oh—oh my God! Victoria! You've _got_ to go a hospital!"

"What? N-no!"

"If you don't, you could _die!_"

"W-what do you th-think I w-was trying to do? S-see w-what color m-my bl-blood is?!"

Cody grabbed Victoria's hand tightly and she let out a yelp. Pulling his hand away, he saw it covered in blood, so he assumed he grabbed her bleeding wrist. He grabbed her other hand tighter and stormed off. Victoria had stopped crying enough to speak correctly without stammering, but she still has kind of dazed.

She screamed as Cody dragged her along. "Shush!" Cody hissed. "Be quiet. You're just drawing attention to yourself."

"Well, maybe I want to!"

"No, you don't. You can tell you're pregnant at this point, so people will look at you and think, 'Gee, look at the screaming pregnant girl.'"

"If your goal in life is to tease me…well, it's working!"

"That's _not_ my goal in life, Victoria, and you know that. Look, I'm getting tired of walking, I'm going to try to hail a cab, okay?"

"Fine, that just gives me time to get out of here."

"If you think I'm going to let go of you, you're crazy!"

When a cab finally pulled over, Cody had to practically drag Victoria into it. Luckily at that time she had stopped screaming. When they got in, Cody told the driver to take them to the nearest hospital. He turned around, gave them both a strange look, but ended up driving them anyway.

"Victoria."

Victoria turned and saw Cody looking at her. She couldn't understand it—why was he crying? It was a silent cry, not like what she was doing minutes ago, but…why?

"Don't _ever_ scare me like that again. Okay?" Victoria turned around and faced forward. He forced her to face him again. "_Please_. I don't know what I'd do without you. Okay? And I still have no idea why you did…well, what you did…but just promise me you won't do it again. Okay?"

"I…I don't know…"

"You know, the doctors may send you to rehab for this. And there, people aren't quite as understanding as doctors will ever be. Because instead of seeing you as a young teenage girl with issues, they'll look at you as a suicidal teenage girl that got herself put into a bad situation. So I just…I just…" Cody trailed off. "You understand what I'm trying to say to you?"

Victoria nodded. "Yeah, I do. Kind of."

The cab pulled over and the man pointed to a machine that had a price on it. Cody took out fifteen dollars and told the man to keep the change. He smiled. "Thank you," he said. "Thanks a lot!"

Cody sighed and looked at Victoria. "You know what can happen to the baby?"

Victoria shook her head no.

"You said you fell. And you lost a lot of blood. The baby…well, it may _die,_ Victoria. Be born dead. That's only one reason why I ask you not to do this ever again. But the other main reason is…I can't live without you, Victoria."

Victoria let that sink in. She never realized up until that moment that Cody was lovesick for her. And bad. She looked at the ground and Cody cupped her face in his hands. Pulling her head back up he asked her, as if she was four, "Understand?"

"Yes. I—I do."

Cody grabbed her uninjured hand and led her inside. He told the lady at the front desk everything that happened, and she handed him a clipboard with a piece of paper on it to fill out about Victoria. It started off with some basic things, like her name, age, weight, and date of birth, then it went on to more complicated things like her insurance plan and things like that. About every few minutes, Cody stopped to ask Victoria something.

He finally brought the clipboard back to the front desk, and almost immediately a wheelchair was brought out. A young male nurse helped Victoria sit down in the chair and Cody walked alongside, holding Victoria's hand that wasn't still losing blood. He finally brought her to a hospital room where a gown was laying on the bed.

"My name is Ron, by the way," he told Victoria. Just buzz if you need me.

She walked in the bathroom to change and when she was done, Cody had to help her back to the hospital bed. Suddenly, out of the blue a few minutes after getting into bed, she burst into tears.

"Vic…Victoria, hon, what's wrong?" Cody asked.

"What happens if something _did_ happen to the baby? What if I killed it?"

"It's not your fault, Victoria…"

"_Yes it is!_" she interrupted. "If I hadn't started that stupid argument, none of this would be happening! God, I am so _stupid!_"

"Victoria, you're an honors student. You've gotten straight A's your entire life. I bet if you applied into any college right now, they'd accept you in a heartbeat. You've just made bad choices is all."

"So now you're admitting it, too!"

"No, I'm not. Totally not. Far from it. You're not stupid. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone has those days…hey, they should make that a song…"

"They already _did,_ bonehead. _Nobody's Perfect_?"

"Well, there you go. In that song title you summed up what I was trying to say. Nobody's perfect." He then proceeded to say some of the song lyrics rather than sing them. "Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody has those days. Everyone knows what I'm talking about. Everybody gets that way. The thing I'm trying to say is, you made a mistake. No big deal. Nothing's wrong with you, that's normal. If something did happen, it's not your fault. Sure, we'll be upset. But we'll have to move on, you know? It's not your fault." He whispered 'it's not your fault' to her.

A woman walked into the room. "Victoria?" She looked up. The doctor smiled a warm cheery smile. "I'm Dr. Germen, and I'm just going to be checking up on you, okay?" She turned to Cody. "And you are…?"

"Cody," he responded. "Cody Martin."

"Are you the one who got her into this mess?"

"You could say that…" Cody said, a little embarrassed.

"Are you okay?" Dr. Germen asked Victoria, as she was looking a little afraid.

"I guess," Victoria said uneasily.

"Well, don't be nervous. I'm a trained professional, I know what I'm doing." Dr. Germen moved closer to Victoria to examine her. "May I see your wrist?" she asked. Hesitantly, Victoria removed the makeshift bandage Cody wrapped around her wrist so the doctor could take a better look at it. The doctor gently grabbed Victoria's hand. She started to touch around the wound, and stopped when she caused Victoria to jump.

She then proceeded to lift up the sheet on Victoria's hospital bed to reveal her knee, which at that point had slowed down on bleeding. She brought the sheets back up over Victoria and said, "I'm going to have to examine you to know everything for sure."

_Examine _made Cody feel uneasy. It sounded like the doctor was going to operate on Victoria instead of just running some tests to see if she was okay.

"Now, may I ask you some questions, Victoria?" Victoria quickly glanced at Cody who gave her a reassuring nod. She, too, nodded to the doctor.

"Okay. Have you been suicidal for long?"

_Who the hell said I was suicidal?_ Victoria thought, but shook her head.

"What was so different about today?"

"Cody and I…we got into a fight. That's about it. But I said some things I wish I didn't say. Like that I wish I never met him, or dated him, or had sex with him, or…" Victoria froze. _Did I just say that?!_ She thought. Cody looked mortified, his mouth hanging open.

"I-I'm sorry, you did _what_ now?" Dr. Germen asked sounding appalled.

Victoria shut her eyes and said, "Yes. We had…sex one night. And now I'm pregnant." She wondered why she was telling a complete stranger about her sex life. _Well, she _is_ a doctor,_ she told herself, then thought, _but you don't_ know_ her!_

Cody looked sick. "Excuse me for a second—" he said, then escaped to the bathroom. He gripped the edges of the sink with his head hanging, getting a good glimpse of the sink. He turned the water on so he could splash cold water on his face. _Did Victoria just say…what you think she said? She couldn't have! You probably just heard sex and pregnant when she actually said something different. She might have said text, or something. But nothing even _remotely_ sounds like pregnant! Oh, God, how could she have _said_ that?!_

He finally came out of the bathroom and because of the water on his face, it appeared as if he had been sweating. "Oh my God, Cody!" Victoria said. He noticed for the first time that Dr. Germen was sitting in a chair drinking water with alka seltzer in it. "Cody, I didn't mean to say that, I'm—I'm sorry! I honestly didn't mean to, I—" Cody grabbed the doctor's hand and pulled her aside.

"Dr. Germen, will I be able to…stay with Victoria while you're…examining her?"

"I'm sorry," Dr. Germen said. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that. You may stay in the waiting room if you'd like." It appeared as if the color was coming back to her face slowly, while the color was draining Cody's.

"Oh." Cody was kind of hurt. "Okay. Can…can I have a minute alone with her? Before you get started?"

"Of course you can. I'll be back in a minute or two." And with that the doctor left the room. Cody sat down next to Victoria.

"Victoria."

She looked over at the boy sitting beside her who, about half an hour ago, pledged his love to her

"No matter what anyone says, Victoria, you're a strong and beautiful young woman."

"You're just saying that," Victoria said weakly. She coughed several times before allowing Cody to continue on. While she was coughing, Cody thought, _I can't believe what I did to her. I really can't. I drove her to this. What if she's dying? I couldn't bear to see her die. I hardly know her, yet I love this girl right here in front of me. This poor, sick girl in front of me…she's stopped coughing now…_

"Well, what I'm trying to say is that no matter what happens, be strong for me. 'Kay? Add this to our promise to each other. Add that you'll be strong no matter what happens in the O.R., okay?"

"Okay." She opened her mouth again, finally having the guts to admit it… "I love you."

"And I love you, Victoria."

_We just met a few months ago and he's telling me that he loves me. He loves me. _Cody Martin loves me! _And, well…I love the feeling of being loved, I really do. I love having someone look out for me night and day, I love having someone to complain to that will listen to me and not chastise me. I love having someone tuck me in at night—who cares if it's babyish? At least someone _does_ it, and I don't even ask. He's too good for me, plus he's Goddamn cute and very caring, and…I don't deserve him. I've been a bitch to him, and all he does is stay by me. I've been awful, and he's still here. And why…?_

Dr. Germen walked back into the room. "Victoria?" she said gently. "It's time."

"Remember our promise?" Cody whispered into Victoria's ear.

_What promise? What the hell is he talking about?_ Victoria thought at first, but then she remembered that she promised Cody that she would be strong and never scare him intentionally again.

"I do. And I plan on taking that promise to the grave."

Cody kissed Victoria on the cheek and walked down to the waiting room while Dr. Germen took Victoria to the E.R.

_

* * *

_

Two hour's later—Cody's POV

God, what is taking so long? She's been in there for two hours; you'd think they'd have answers by now!

It's actually kind of late—I've had numerous cups of coffee just to stay awake and _still_ almost fallen asleep six times. It's times like these that I miss Zack.

I've lied to him, and I don't think he could ever forgive me for that, even _if_ I apologize a thousand times to him. I also don't think he could forgive me for having sex with our best friend and getting her pregnant, but that's beside the point.

Trying to get my mind off what could possibly be happening in the E.R.—and on the _S.S. Tipton_—I have daydreams about some of the most defining moments I've had in my life. I've thought about my first report card, my first girlfriend, the first time I kissed Victoria….

After a while I ran out of moments in my life, and I see a new picture planted in my head:

Graduation night.

Here's another moment to add to the list: the first time I had sex.

_

* * *

Cody's flashback_

_Holding hands, Victoria and Cody walked to the fiesta deck to look at the stars. "Look…there's a shooting star," Victoria said._

"_They say if you make a wish on a shooting star, it will come true," Cody said. Both shut their eyes and made a wish in their head, rather than out loud. They turned to each other after they were done. "What'd you wish for?" Cody asked._

"_For me to stay here on the _S.S. Tipton. _To not have to leave you and Zack. For this night to never end. What about you?"  
_

"_I wished for the same things," Cody said, and they both laughed._

"_Cody?"_

_Cody turned and looked at his girlfriend. "Have you ever wondered…what it would be like if…if we…well, if one of us kind of spent the night together?"  
_

"_Yeah, I have," Cody said. "And I kind of want to."  
_

"_No, not at my suite, at yours."_

"_Oh. Well, we could do that, too, if you'd like. Woody's not going to be there because he's spending the summer with his parents. And Zack's spending the night with someone else, so we could be alone if you'd like."_

_Victoria smiled. Cody offered her his hand, and she gratefully took it. They took the slowest way possible to the suite. For no really reason, Cody locked it. While there, they just watched _The Notebook_ for a while even though Cody expressed about a thousand times how much he hated it. They were going to watch _Titanic_, but they didn't think that watching a romance taking place on a ship that would end up sinking would be the best movie to watch at sea school._

_After the movie, it was mostly silent. "I hope I can stay on the _S.S. Tipton,_" Victoria finally said, sighing a little._

"_I have to," he told her back. "My mom's making me." He leaned forward and gave Victoria a gentle peck on the cheek._

"_Cody…? Did you want to…?"_

"_Are you thinking of sex?" he asked a little nervously._

"_Yes," she said, slightly embarrassed._

"_Me—me, too," he said, embarrassed himself._

"_We…we could…but only if you wanted to," she added._

"_Only if you want to," Cody told her._

_They finally decided they would. When sitting on bed, Cody fumbled around in his pocket for something—condoms. Victoria quickly threw her shoes off. She eased herself down on the bed, and Cody lay on top of her. Slowly, they took their clothes off and…_

_End Cody's flashback_

* * *

I shut my eyes tight to try to work that memory out of my mind. It didn't work. I decided I had to talk to, but who? Victoria was in the E.R., and everyone else wouldn't understand what I was going through.

Except Zack.

But I can't tell him, he'd hate me for _not _telling him sooner, and for running off to Boston when I found out.

But if I don't talk to someone, I'd die. What if I talked to him but didn't mention anything about Victoria? Yeah, that could work…I just have to hear his voice again. I got my phone out and hit 2 on speed dial (number 1 was my voicemail, but I didn't set it that way).

This is crazy. You're nuts.

But I have to. I can't live life like this. I just can't do that to my own twin brother, Za… "Hello?" Zack said to me.

I couldn't help it, but tears found their way to my eyes. I hadn't heard that voice in a whole month, and it was too much for me. If I continued on like this, I'd never talk to him, not ever. And I needed to so much. Never before in my life had I needed a twin as much as I did then…

"Zack? It's Cody."

* * *

**I hoped you liked it. I decided to try a character narrating instead of a narrator. If you liked it, I'll do it again the next chapter at the least. Maybe more than that. But probably not the whole story. And I hoped you liked the whole 'talking to Zack' plotline. I'm not sure myself where I'm going to go with that, but I figured it would be nice for Zack and Cody to talk after a month's separation. Review, please!!**

**--Maddie Marie**


	7. Mr Brightside

**Okay, every time I get reviews that make me feel good about my work, I will continue, and respond to the reviews I get since the most recent update at the end of the chapter! Zack's going to narrate at least part of this chapter, so here's chapter seven!! Well, technically six, because chappy four was an author's note. Anyway, here's the story!! Oh, and there will be mild use of the F word in this chapter!!**

* * *

_Zack's POV—30 Minutes Prior To Cody's Phone Call  
_It's been one month now, and I'm still in shock about Cody leaving. I know he got accepted into college—and at fifteen—but he didn't even mention the name of the college, or even be nice enough to say it in person. He's my brother, he should just come out and tell me!

And it was freaky how Victoria went missing the exact same day, and me and Angelique have been ignoring each other ever since. So I've got no one to talk to. Except London, but she's kind of an airhead.

I walked to the a chair in the lobby and sat down. London walked by, buffing her nails. "Hey Zack," she said as she walked by, then stopped and turned around to look at me. "Where's Cody and your friend, uh…Valerie?" See what I mean? She never even _learned_ Victoria's name.

I sighed nonchalantly. "It's _Victoria_, not Valerie," I tell her kind of irritated. "And Cody ran off to college and Victoria's…well, I don't know where she is."

"Huh?"

Of course. The only time I ever actually speak in a way that sounds even _remotely_ intelligent, the person I'm talking to can't even understand me. That's what I get for talking to a Tipton.

"Cody go to big kid school and Victoria is gone," I say as dumb as possible.

"OH!!" London exclaims, suddenly catching on. I rolled my eyes, but she's so much of an airhead she doesn't seem to notice.

"Listen, London, I gotta go, okay?" I get up and walk off, while London walks off, admiring herself in the reflection of her clear coat. Mr. Moesby, who obviously heard something, comes over to me.

"Zack, did I hear you correctly?" Mr. Moesby asked when he got over to me. "Cody and Victoria went missing?"

"Well kinda," I tell him. "See, Cody got accepted into this bigwig college somewhere and…well, Angelique knows where Victoria is…I think."

"Zack, I hate to break it to you, but both Victoria and Cody are still registered students at Seven Seas High."

I'm shocked. "Huh?" I ask in disbelief. "Wha—? No, Cody went to college, and…"

"College doesn't start until the fall, just like school. And Victoria's mother and sister would be gone as well if Victoria was, wouldn't they?"

"Well, I suppose so, but…"

"And even if they didn't, Mrs. Baker hasn't taken Victoria off our list of students. Can you explain that to me?"

"Well, no. I can't, really."

Mr. Moesby shook his head and walked off. And I stood there, dazed and confused.

Enter Angelique and Bailey. That's odd, I thought Bailey left for the summer. And Angelique considers Bailey a dumb fudgewad. That's when I noticed they weren't hanging out, they were arguing.

"Look, Angelique, you can't work as a tutor when school starts back up again," Bailey informed her.

"And why not?" Angelique wanted to know.

"Because other than biology, which you had an F in at the end of the semester, you're a straight C student. Why would you want to be a tutor, anyway?"

"Because I heard that if you work as a tutor, you get paid six bucks per dumb kid!"

"Well, while that may be true, they aren't necessarily _dumb,_ and there are other jobs here on the _S.S. Tipton,_ you know? Like our student store! Or…candy counter, or waitressing, or maybe even…"

"Look, girl, I'd love to chit chat, but I'd rather not…with you, anyway."

As Angelique stormed off, I figured I'd get some answers from her. She was waiting by the elevator, and I figured I might as well go up with her, so I rushed over.

"Going up?" she asked, and I nodded. Probably just so we'd go in the same direction, but still…

"Angelique," I said, grabbing her attention. She turned and faced me, looking a little ticked. Something tells me she was either in a bad mood or on her period…or maybe both, the way she looked.

"Can you possibly tell me where Victoria is?"

"On one condition," she said, brightening a little as she thought of a plan. The elevator door whooshed open and we walked inside. She thumbed the ten button and the doors remained open, as they were functioned to stay open for thirty seconds before closing. I hit the 'close doors' button.

"Okay. Where's your sister?" _No beading around the bush._

Angelique scoffed. "She says she went back to California where we lived before the _S.S. Tipton,_ but I don't believe a word of it. Now, my question. Where's your brother?"

"College, but I don't really believe it anymore, either."

Angelique smiled. "Want to know what _I_ think?"

"Tell me."

At that moment, the elevator door opened to let more people on, so I yelled, "_THIS IS A PRIVATE ELEVATOR! GET THE NEXT ONE!_" Many people were ticked, and I heard a man say, "Forget this, I'm taking the stairs!"

As the door shut, Angelique told me, "I think they ran off to Mexico and eloped."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, _eloped?_ As in secretly married?" No _way_ Cody eloped!

"Yeah, not _cantaloupe, _eloped. And I'm not talking about that phony junk, either."

I thought it over. Victoria and Cody eloping didn't really surprise me, I figured they'd get married one day anyway, but I never thought they'd do it so _young_—and in high school! Well, if Cody's story was true, high school and college. "I doubt Cody would get married. He's too innocent for that."

"So is my sister," she informed me as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "That's what makes it so exciting—so romantic!"

"Somebody's been reading too many romance novels," I told her in a mocking tone.

"Well, if you don't think your brother's a romantic, that's your problem." She started walking forward, and for a second I thought she'd hit the elevator door, but then I noticed it was open. Quickly I grabbed the back of her shirt with one hand, and reached out and pressed the down button with the other.

"Oh, no, you're not leaving until you tell me honestly what you think about the situation. And trust me, I'm not kidding. We'll be going up and down for quite a while if you don't."

_Just one minute before Cody's phone call  
_Well, I didn't believe it, but it worked. Angelique blabbed _everything_ to me. And I'm not kidding either. I got back to the suite and suddenly felt so…_alone._

I punched my pillow a few times, kicked my wall a couple of times, and ripped some paper to blow off steam, and I'm not entirely sure why I did. I was just relentless and I really wanted whoever did this to me to pay. I flew back on my bed and almost cried.

_Almost._

I don't cry easily.

My phone rang. Something's wrong with my memory chip, so it scrambles whoever is trying to call and gives you some weird number, no matter who's calling, so I never know if it's a blocked call or not. It was a fifty fifty chance, so I picked up. "Hello?"

I figured it was probably Mom calling to check up on me. Never did I expect it to be…

"Zack? It's Cody."

_Cody?_ No, you're crazy—why would Cody call? So I scoffed and said, "Yeah, okay. Listen, prank caller or whoever you are, you're not my brother. I'm gonna say you took a lucky guess and got my name right and my brother's name right, so I'm just gonna hang up now and you can…"

"ZACK!! STOP!! It's really Cody. Believe me."

That's when I finally figured out it wasn't prank callers, but my actual brother. "C-Cody?" I breathed.

"Hi, Zack," he said halfheartedly.

"Cody, you tell me right now where the hell you've been this past month, or I swear, when I find you, I will strangle you and make you wish that I was born an only child without a brother!"

"I-I'm in Boston," he said shakily.

"Boston?" Was there even a college in Boston? I really should pay more attention in geography to figure that out, but I eventually told him, "What are you doing there?"

"Uh…just visiting home is all. Then I'm going back to…" I then heard the panic in his voice, and how scared he sounded.

"Listen, Cody, I really don't care why you're there. But I do care about why you sound so worried. Is something wrong? Tell your big brother what's wrong."

"Well, Zack, I will, but fifteen minutes isn't that much to get excited about. Really, it's not. But anyway…" he gulped. "It's about…Victoria?"

"Huh? _Our_ Victoria?"

_Cody's POV_  
I can't believe I'm telling Zack this. But I can't tell him about me and Victoria, or about the baby. He'd find me somehow and strangle me. I just knew he would. But he was waiting for a response, so I better hurry up and make something up…and fast. "Cody? You there?" I heard him say while I was thinking.

"Yeah, I'm here," I said at long last. "And yes, our Victoria. See, she kind of got into…well, into an accident."

"An accident? What kind of accident?"

"Well, not really an accident, per se, she kind of meant to do it, but…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, meant to do what? What are you talking about?"

I took a deep breath in and blurted it out, saying, _here goes nothing…_ "Well, she was getting depressed in California and came out to see me, but she was still kind of depressed, so she excused herself to go into the bathroom and got a hold of a razor, and well, she…" I broke into a sobbing fit, even though it wasn't the real story. It was just too much for me to handle all at one time. She might be dieing right now, and I'm just trying to have a casual conversation with my brother.

"Wait, Cody, are you saying she cut herself?"

"Y-yes," I squeaked out in between sobs.

"Is she…is she dead, Cody?"

"I don't know, she's in the E.R. right now, and I'm in the waiting room, and…"

"Do…do you want to talk to me about it?"

"Well, there are some things I can't really _tell_ you…"

"Like what?"

_Oh, like the fact that we had sex that started out protective and ended up wasn't, so now she's one month pregnant._ I didn't tell him this, but I did think about telling him. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"Just…just some things, okay?" Gosh, he's kind of prying…but just a little bit.

"Oh. Okay. Can I come down there?"

"Down where?" I asked, afraid.

"The hospital, you dumbass! Where else, New Zealand?" I froze. He wanted to come comfort me! Sure, I wanted it, but…then wouldn't he figure out that Victoria was pregnant? Stupid question, of course he would! Well, maybe not…Zack's not the brightest crayon in the box, after all…but he would still tell him…

"Okay." I'm such an idiot. Why can't I just say 'no' like a normal person? _Note to self: have Victoria teach you how to say 'no' to people._ That is, if Victoria was _okay._ _Note to self: stop worrying. Note to self: get a notebook to start writing down these notes._

"So…where you at?" Zack asked. I wondered how the hell he was going to get down here from the _S.S Tipton,_ but then I figured that although expensive, he'd just buy a ticket last minute.

"Um…the Saint Mary's Hospital in Boston." This sounded like a Catholic hospital.

"Okay. I'll try to get there as soon as I can, okay?"

"Alright. Zack?" I thought about telling him, and I was going to do that, too.

"Yeah?"

"Well, Victoria and I, we…" At the last second, I chickened out. Instead of saying what I had originally planned to say, I said, "We miss you and Angelique and the _S.S. Tipton._"

"I miss you guys, too, Codester, a lot more than you know."

_And I _need_ you a lot more than you know._ I would have told him that, but then he would have thought it was about the now 'suicidal' Victoria or ask what was wrong, and I can't lie to him _again._ But I did need him now more than ever, so what harm could a visit do? A voice inside me was screaming no, but I knew in my heart that having Zack down here was what was best.

"O-okay," I stuttered. "I'll see you in a little bit, Zack."

"Okay, I'll see you later."

We hung up without saying good-bye to each other. We didn't feel the need to say anything. Sighing, I reached into my pocket again and pulled out four dollars and headed for the coffee cart in the hospital for my fifth cup.

_Victoria's POV—twenty minutes later  
_I've felt for about the past two and a half hours like I've been floating, like I wasn't really there. And suddenly—I was just awake. In a bright hospital room. Panicking, I flung blankets off of me. Did I have the baby? That must have been what's happening. But then…where is it?

"Victoria!" Cody cried, tears staining his eyes. His cry—shouting out my name, I mean—was both from shock and happiness. I guess he was shocked that I flung blankets off of me, but I had to see if the baby was okay.

"Where is it? Where is it?" I cried, looking all around.

"Where is _what?_" he asked, then I realized I wasn't in the hospital because I went into labor, I was there for what happened earlier. I felt like an idiot. I flopped back on the bed. "Are you feeling alright?"

"What?" I asked, then realized what he was asking. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. It's just the meds they gave me."

"Victoria," he said seriously. "I need to tell you something—two things actually—right now, and they're important."

"Well, spit it out!" I yelled with a 'tude.

"Well, one, the doctor was here earlier and she wants to schedule an ultrasound." He said this as if he was saying that my friend called and wanted me to call her back. He sounded very lackadaisical.

"And…?" I asked, urging him to go on.

"Z-Zack's coming," he said, his voice quivering.

"You wouldn't!" I cried, fighting back tears.

"Sorry, he's my twin, and I called him because I was panicking and needed to call someone, and…"

"Then call Esteban, Mrs. Fisicaro, hell, call Taco Bell and talk to the cashier there!"

"Victoria!" he cried, shocked I would use a word like hell.

"Oh, get the fuck over it, Cody," I said. "I cuss, big whoop. What're you gonna do, strangle my damn guts out?"

"Victoria, stop it! Do you really want the baby hearing you saying things like that?"

I slowed a bit, not realizing it. Suddenly I tensed, afraid someone was listening. "Ssh." I told him. "Someone's coming." Suddenly the door flew open to reveal Zack. I rushed to cover my middle so he wouldn't know what was happening.

"Hey, Codester. Vicky." I clenched my teeth at the use of that word, but didn't let the anger show on my face. Instead, I smiled as Zack stepped into the room. In fact, I looked thrilled to see him.

"Zack! Hi!" I yelled, and, as he got near me, we hugged. Now I know firsthand that hugging your boyfriend's brother can be very awkward. He pulled away eventually. He grabbed the chair across from Cody and sank down in it.

"So. How you two doing?" he asked, looking more at Cody then me.

"Well, we…" Cody started.

"Whoa. Are you pregnant?" he asked me. I started gagging on some water I was drinking.

"Wh-what gave you _that_ idea?" I asked after I stopped choking.

"I'm kidding, kidding! Gosh, you guys take everything so serious." He looked at me suspiciously before going on. "Anyway, you guys left at horrible timing. There's nothing to do! I almost died of boredom."

"Technically, Zack," I started. "It's not possible to die of boredom…"

"Yeah, yeah, nerd talk, who wants pie?"

"_Pie?_" Cody asked in disbelief. Zack pulled out a pumpkin pie from behind his back. It was weird, but that's what I had been craving for two weeks now. I was a slave to cravings. On it, in whipped cream pretending to be frosting, it said, "Get better soon, V!"

"Zack, you didn't have to…" Cody started, but immediately I cut him off.

"Great! Where are the plates?"

* * *

**I hope you guys liked it. Sorry it took so long for a damn update (sorry, Cody, your baby will have to get used to foul language!). But I was in a mood tonight, a writing mood, considering I had nothing to do with my summer break. Anyway, here are my replies.**

**Kristina: Obviously I didn't let her die. I just couldn't bring myself to do it.**

**Kristina: Thank you. I guess that would be cool to have them narrate.**

**Super Jasmin Carrot: I already wrote that part of the story. Thanks for your interest.**

**Wynstirsno: It was E.R., not O.R. But it would make sense if she needed stitches or something. But yeah, I wanted Cody to talk to Zack once before the end, which I have planned out. I may rewrite this story using my original plan, where Cody doesn't know, but thanks to my awesome reviewers!!**


	8. A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

**I was in a writing mood, so I decided to update. It has now been a week and a half since Victoria was released from the hospital. Here's the next chapter!!**

* * *

_Cody's POV_  
Almost two weeks have gone by and Dr. Germen had suggested Victoria should be sent to a rehabilitation center. I said yes. Victoria was stubborn and said no. With lots of persuasion, I convinced her to go.

"You'll have a roommate there, it's not like you'll be by yourself," I told her.

"Oh, yeah, I really want to spend two weeks with a crazy depressed girl," she snapped at me. I rolled my eyes.

Now, it's been a week and a half since she's been here, and I thought she might need a visitor. Standing at the front desk, I explained I was here to see a Miss Victoria Baker.

"I'm sorry," the woman said, cheerful with a smile on her face. "Miss Baker isn't in a position to receive visitors."

"But I…"

"I said no," she added cutting me off.

"You don't understand," I pleaded. "I'm the father of her…"

"Listen, kid!" she yelled at me, still smiling and looking cheerful. "I've just worked a double shift, I'm with depressed teenagers, some weird kid here is always flirting with me, and I try to tell her I'm not interested in her or in changing my sexual preferences! My back hurts and I have to smile all day whether I'm happy or not. So just wait a minute and sit down and keep your yap shut and we won't have a problem." She went back to being cheerful. "Thank you. Have a nice day. I'll be with you in one moment." Confused, I staggered back to a chair and sat down. Five minutes later, she motioned to me.

"Yes…?" I asked.

"Miss Baker is ready to see you now, room 304, level nine."

I looked confused. "Shouldn't 304 be on level, oh, I don't know, three?"

"I don't run the place or build it here's your visitor's pass have a nice day." She seemed to be losing all of her sanity when she said 'have a nice day'. Or the entire sentence, I might add.

I walked away at that point, glad to be away from her. As I got to level nine, I racked my brain for what to say. Gently I knocked on the door and a creepy gothic girl opened it. "Who are you?" she asked, as she looked me up and down.

"Cody Martin. Who are _you?_"

"Alyssa Clovis! Go away!" Alyssa went to slam the door.

"Alyssa, stop!" a familiar voice yelled. Victoria walked over to the door, wearing her pajamas. "Alyssa…this is Cody. Cody, Alyssa."

Alyssa scoffed. "_He's_ the one that's supposed to be a hunk _and_ the reason I can't sleep at night because of your weird cravings?"

I was slightly appalled this total stranger knew about that, but I pushed it aside. Victoria rolled her eyes. "Alyssa, shut up. At least I'm leaving in three days. You, on the other hand, have another five months to go." She opened the door wider to allow me in.

"Five months?" I asked as I entered. "For what?"

"I used to be a druggie," Alyssa admitted. "I went to a party once and my friend Leila offered me a cigarette, so I took it. After that I was addicted. The cops found me asleep in a dumpster and they told my mom I needed to go to rehab. So, here I am." She said it as if she was proud of being a drug addict. I wondered how anyone could be proud of something like that.

Victoria pulled up a chair for me as she started to chastise Alyssa. "Lyss, I told you not to tell Cody about that story when he came here. Just a simple 'I was a drug addict' would have worked."

Victoria and Alyssa's relationship reminded me of London and Bailey. They continued to bicker as I had my own thoughts. I had always wanted to meet Victoria's best friend from back home, Lily, but it didn't seem possible.

"Anyway, Cody," Victoria said, interrupting my thoughts. "You want something to drink? To eat? Anything?" She looked upset about something, as if she was about to cry. "Do you want the TV on?"

"No, I'm fine, I just came to catch up on you two."

"Two…?" she asked, sounding confused. "Oh! Oh, yeah, we're fine," she said at last, figuring out that the two was not her and Alyssa, but rather her and the baby. She smiled a bit.

"You're baby's going to be a cow," Alyssa said. "She keeps eating like all the food around here. She doesn't even leave me anything." She rolled her eyes at Victoria and scoffed.

"Cravings, Alyssa," Victoria said. "I've told you a million times." Suddenly she turned to me, remembering I was there. "Awkward?" she asked.

"Not at all," I told her. I was actually used to all this talk; in fact, I read a few books about parenting and a webzine while Victoria was gone. I had actually learned some things and picked up a couple tips and pointers. And I found a few names I liked, such as Emma, Elliot, Savannah, Alexander, Ariana, and Cole. When Victoria got home, I figured, we'd settle on a name.

"I'm sorry I had to gross you out with all this talk about babies and such," she told me.

"Hey!" Alyssa cried. "Where's _my_ apology?! I had to live with you for, like, almost a month, and I'd like some apologies around here, too. Why are you giving them to the person who's _supposed_ to get the talks?"

"Shut up, Lyss," Victoria snapped.

"Say, Victoria," I offered, trying to change the subject. "Have you chosen any names you like?"

Victoria's face lit up. "A bunch!" She smiled a wide smile. "In fact, I have one for every letter of the alphabet." She then went through her list, which was, by the way, all girls' names. "Ava, Bella, Chloe, Diane, Emma…" At least we agreed on one name. "Faylinn, Gabriella, Harlow…"

I cut her off. "Isn't Harlow your middle name?"

"No," she said plainly. "My middle name's Heather. But don't you think Harlow's beautiful?" Before I could answer, she continued. "Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah…Isabella, Juliet, Kaitlyn, Lillian, Madison, Nora, Olivia, Payton…"

"You know what, Victoria? Why don't we stop here before you get to a name like Zoey or Zanessa, okay?"

"At least you don't have to hear it _twenty times a day_," Alyssa said, filing her nails.

"But I wasn't done!" She looked ready to cry.

"Victoria," I said, trying to make her a little bit happy. "I do like the names Emma, Kaitlyn, and Madison, but maybe we should choose some _boy_ names, like Elliot, Alexander, or Cole."

"But how do you know it's a boy?" she asked.

"How do _you_ know it's a girl?" I tossed at her.

"Besides, Cole and Elliot are kind of old fashioned," she continued.

"One of your names was Juliet."

"For Shakespeare!" she told me.

"Hello, Alexander Graham Bell, great inventor, thank you!"

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Cody."

At this point, Alyssa was listening to her iPod to drown out our conversation. After a while I left. I had a very important question to ask Mrs. Fisicaro.

* * *

_Twenty minutes later—the lobby of the Boston Tipton  
_"Mrs. Fisicaro, I have a bone to pick with you."

Karen Fisicaro looked up at me. "Oh, hello, Cody. How are you?"

"I need to talk with you."

"Oh?" She looked surprised. "What's wrong?"

"I was wondering if…if I could possibly get a larger suite? Perhaps with two bedrooms?"

Mrs. Fisicaro looked somewhat relieved. She walked to her computer desk and typed in a few things. Instantly results came up. "I have a suite on floor twenty-four, if you'd like it. It has a view of the park."

"I'll take it." I said it without thinking.

"Okay, but it will cost you."

"I'll pay you when I get the chance." It dawned on me then that I would have to get a job to support a family. Where would I work, though? At the Tipton? In Boston, for sure, there was no way I'd commute.

"Can I apply for a job here?" I asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Well, can I? Maybe at the daycare? Or…at the daycare center." I knew I could use all the time with young children I could get. Sure, parenting books helped, but I needed first hand experience. And I'm tired of reading _What To Expect When You're Expecting._

"Well, I don't know…"

"Please, Mrs. Fisicaro. I need money. In about seven and a half months, I'm going to have the beginnings of a family. Please, hire me."

"Well, okay…"

"Thank you, Mrs. Fisicaro!" I quickly snatch the room key and run to the elevator, a little overexcited. I promise myself I'm going to read all I can about being a parent once I get back to the room.

* * *

_In the new suite_  
After moving stuff in, I finally decide to read the book. It's written mainly for women, but it does help me a little.

While reading it, I get freaked out slightly. What do _I_ do while Victoria is actually _having_ the baby? Will I just be standing there watching while she's in pain? Will I have to leave? Will I be too chicken to actually be there? I want to be there—really I do—yet I don't know what to do. That's one thing parenting books don't cover—what role the guys play in the delivery room.

I fell light headed so I get up and go on an actual parenting website for answers and found it very reassuring. That's when I realized something. This wasn't a joke. Victoria was really pregnant, I was really going to be a father. It would have been a heck of a lot easier if Dad still lived with Mom before this. Then I would at least be smart enough not to leave my kids at the playground and come home with the wrong ones.

Wait. Who said it would be twins?

Well, you never know. What with the Martin streak of twins—me and Zack, Dad and Uncle Kevin, Grandpa Matt and Grandpa Earl—it was totally possible. It was also possible that it would be a boy, considering that's all this family has had in a while.

And it doesn't help that Angelique is Victoria's twin.

I got up to go get some water and my knees started shaking. I fell to my knees and grabbed onto the chair next to me. I let go and tried to crawl, but my legs wouldn't move. My head started throbbing. Suddenly I blacked out.

* * *

_Four hours later  
_I had a panic attack thinking about all of this.

I'm not sure what made it come on, reading about all the horrible things I read online or thinking about what would happen if it turned out to be twins.

Eventually I picked myself up off the floor. I walked to the bathroom and just sat on the floor, trying to clear my head. I knew I shouldn't be worried—that was Victoria's department—but inside, I was scared out of my right mind.

I wish I had told Zack about what happened. I wish I hadn't been a coward and just told him, "We made a mistake, and now Victoria's pregnant." But no, I had to be too afraid. I thought Zack would strangle me. All the times I warned him of what could happen, and instead, it was _me_ who should have been warned.

This was so unfair. You make one mistake and your entire life just gets thrown away, just like that. If I had said, "No, we're not ready," none of this would have happened. We would still be on the _S.S. Tipton,_ enjoying summer with Zack and Angelique. Not spend our entire summer in fear something would go wrong. Which is what we're doing right now. And something _did_ go wrong. Victoria was hospitalized and now in rehab.

I needed to vent to someone. But who? Mrs. Fisicaro said she would talk to me about any of my problems, but it was too awkward. That meant there was only one other person: Esteban.

I walked down the lobby and saw Esteban helping a guest. Being impatient, I walked up to him. "Esteban," I said quietly, trying not to create any diversions. "I need to talk to you about…"

"Cody," Esteban said back. "Not now. I'm with a guest."

"But I…"

"I'll get back to you later." He turned back to the guest, an older woman in about her seventies. "I'm terribly sorry, let me hep you with that."

"What's 'hep'?" she asked him.

"Help," I said, pretending to cough. I wasn't sure if she understood, but I tried anyway. Esteban, however, seemed mad. He pointed to the elevator.

"_OUT!_"

I walked sheepishly to the elevator as Esteban continued to 'hep' the woman he was with. My head was throbbing once again, so I couldn't wait to get back to the suite. _Right away._

When I got up there, I sank into one of the beds in one of the rooms. Quickly I fell asleep and had a strange dream.

* * *

_Cody's Dream—Cody's POV_  
When I opened my eyes, I was on the ground in a dark alley. The only light was shining on me. I wasn't sure where I was. Suddenly I saw two people standing over me.

Zack and Victoria.

No, it wasn't Victoria, it was Angelique. I could tell by the image I saw—her and Zack holding hands. They always did that as a friendship thing; they didn't have actual feelings for one another.

"Come on, Cody," Zack said smiling.

"You know you want to," Angelique said with the same smile on her face.

"I can't," I said in desperation.

Angelique suddenly grabbed me and forced me to my feet.

"Follow us," Zack said.

They started to run away from me, and all I could do was watch. When they were a good ten feet away, Zack kept running, but Angelique turned around and motioned for me to step forward. "Come on," she said, and turned and started running again.

I took a step forward and continued to move, eventually breaking into a run. They rounded a corner and when I rounded the same corner, they were gone. I wasn't sure what to do. But suddenly—Victoria appeared out of nowhere, sitting on her knees on the ground, a puzzle laid out in front of her. She stuck a piece in place and motioned for me to go join her.

I walked toward her slowly and looked over her shoulder down at the puzzle. It was almost done. Only five pieces weren't in place. I could read clearly, however, it said, "Make the most of your life even if things don't go according to plan." Suddenly, she grabbed my hand and stuck it on top of a puzzle piece. She then pointed at the piece and then at the puzzle. I figured she wanted me to put it in place.

Slowly I picked it up and put it in place. The message had changed. Now, in Victoria's handwriting, it said, "What's the matter, Cody?"

I blinked. How could it have changed? Victoria's features contracted into a frown at my surprised look. She shoved another piece at me and the puzzle had changed again. "What is it, Cody? Did I do something wrong? Cat got your tongue?" It was weird, but then the puzzle changed before my eyes. "What'd I do?"

I pointed at the puzzle then shook my head. I didn't know why we weren't saying anything, but I followed suit anyway. Then, it changed again. "Tell me what's wrong." I pointed at the puzzle again, then at Victoria's stomach. She looked confused.

This time, the puzzle said, "What did the baby do to you? It's not even born yet."

I shook my head. I pointed to the puzzle to show her I was responding, then to my eye for 'I'. That's when I realized I couldn't act out what was wrong this time. Instead, I grabbed a stick and wrote in the dirt, "It didn't do anything. I'm just worried that something's going to go wrong."

The puzzle changed again. "You worry too much."

She smiled at me. Somehow, without realizing it, I had finished the puzzle. This time, it said, "I love you."

I smiled, pointed to my eye, my heart, Victoria, and made a peace sign for two, or too, in this case. The puzzle changed one more time: "Wake up."

* * *

Suddenly I sat upright. It was a dream—but it made no sense.

What just happened?

* * *

**Hope you liked it! I only got one review, but I liked the review. So I updated!! Yes, the dream sequence was supposed to make no sense at all. Cody was worried everything would go wrong, so he had a dream telling him it was going to be fine.**

**Wyntirsno: I have the ending picked out already, and it involves Zack in the way you want it to. I guess he would be pretty understanding. It's just that Cody's afraid he won't be because Victoria's their best friend and well…whoops (I think you know what I mean by that). And I actually had every intention of making her okay. I like scaring you guys into reviewing.**

**Thank you and happy reading!**

**(Please note I slightly edited this from the original. The original said Victoria's middle name was Harlow, but I decided to change it to Heather. I didn't want to make a dramatic change to the name, so I left the first letter.)**


	9. Two Teens and a Little Vody

**I figured it would be easier for me to just review when I got the time. I won't have the time for a few days, so I just decided to do it now. Also, the name Lili is pronounced like the name Lilly or Lily. HAVE FUN!!!**

* * *

_Victoria's POV_  
Finally, _finally,_ I was headed home from the rehab center. Well, not home, considering that was in California, but as close as I could get. I couldn't wait.

In the taxi ride home, I was quiet. "Victoria, you okay?" Cody asked me, a little worried.

"Fine," I said, staring out the window, my arms crossed.

"Are you sure? Because…"

"_I'm fine,_" I snapped.

"Okay," Cody said skeptically.

The reality was I was even more depressed at the rehabilitation center than I was when I cut myself at the park. It was worse there, because I knew the people there were trying to help me, but it was a lost cause. How can you help a girl who's turning fifteen in just a few months, who also happens to be pregnant with her _boyfriend's_ child? There is no avoiding it, I'm a disaster.

I sighed heavily. Cody looked at me worriedly.

"I'm fine, okay?" I said with an attitude. "It's just that…rehab didn't help me whatsoever. It just made me miss you. A lot. It made me miss everyone. Even my mom. But mostly…you and Lili."

"Lili?" he asked, then a light bulb went off in his head. "Oh, yeah, Lili. The best friend I've never met."

"Sorry, but we'd have to go to California, and…anyway, it doesn't matter, but I realized something while I was there."

"Oh? What's that?"

"Well, remember, about two, three weeks ago, you said you loved me, and I said you were lying?"

"Yeah?"

"I realized than that I _do_ love you. A lot." I said this in a hushed tone so the driver wouldn't hear. "I mean, Alyssa kept waking me up because during the night I'd yell out your name. And I'd sometimes lock myself in the bathroom and cry because you were gone."

"You're so silly," he said, stroking my hair. "But I still love you." He kissed my cheek gently. That's when I realized that even though we were young—and slightly stupid—we were in love, and that's all that mattered.

At the moment.

* * *

I was a little nervous walking back into the Tipton again. It's just like home now to me in every way, but still, I was slightly edgy doing it after three weeks. I was walking to the elevator when someone turned around and started screaming when she saw me.

After a moment, I screamed too—both of us were screaming from _joy._

"What? _What?!_" Cody yelled, running over.

At this point I was hugging the girl tightly and she was hugging me. We were very extremely giddy. Cody was slightly miffed, but Lili and I weren't. That's right. The girl I was hugging was Lili Cullen, my best friend.

"Lili!" I cried. "What are you doing here?"

"My mom got a job as a cabaret singer," she said smiling. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Long story?" I offered. Cody was still confused.

"Would someone care to tell me what's going on?" he asked—_yelled,_ actually.

Laughing, I said, "Cody, this is Lili. Lili…Cody."

"Is he your…?" Lili asked anxiously.

"Yeah. He's my boyfriend."

She squealed. "How is it that when I tried to set you up back home it didn't work out, but here you have a boyfriend? Details please!"

I laughed. "I'll give you details later, okay? But we have a lot to talk about, my friend."

"Yeah. You've missed so much! And I bet I've missed a lot, too, judging from Cody. I _have_ missed a _lot_, right?"

"You have no idea," I tell her. I don't think I've ever mentioned this, but Lili's a talker.

"Well, why don't we go to your suite and talk?" Lili asked. "I can't wait to see your mom and your sister, and…well, your mom and your sister…and your suite! I bet it's gorgeous!"

"Um…" I don't know what to say. She's waiting for me to say something. "Yeah."

"Great! Let me just tell my mom." She walks over and yells, as loud as she can, "_MOM!!_"

Mrs. Cullen spun around in a heartbeat. "Oh, my God, Lili!" she cried, her hand on her heart. "Don't scare me like that." She smiled when she saw me. "Hi, Victoria. Long time no see."

"Yeah. Hey, Mrs. Cullen," I greet, not exactly in a talking mood.

"Mom, Victoria and I were going to head up to her suite," Lili explains. "Can I go with her?"

"Sure. Nice to see you, Victoria."

I walk to the elevator and get ready to press the button twelve when Cody stops me. "No, twenty-four," he told me, pressing the vibrant twenty-four. I look confused. "You'll see," he tells me.

Still slightly confused, I go along with it. I turn to Lili to do our signature move. "Pound it," I tell her. We go to pound our fists together, but at the last possible second I turn my fist into an open hand touching her fist and say, "Turkey!" Cody rolls his eyes at us, which only makes Lili and I laugh.

As we get to the twenty-fourth floor, I have to follow Cody. Suddenly, he turns a corner and has us outside a suite. He pulls out a room key as I stand watching, looking even more confused. As he unlocks the door, he pulls us inside. The suite has all of our things. There's even a picture of us sitting on the desk opposite the television, which I didn't even know we had.

"Cody, how did you…?"

"I've got to get going," he tells me, smiling a bit. "I've got a job."

"A _job?_"

"Babysitting. At the Tipton. Care to join me?"

"I am _not_ spending my free time wrestling little kids that want to _spit_ in my _ear._"

"Your loss, then." And he left, shutting the door tightly behind him.

"Okay, Tori, you've got a secret," Lili says, using her nickname for me. If anyone else called me that they'd have a black eye in seconds. But with Lili it was okay. I took a deep breath before telling her what happened.

"Okay, but you've got to pinky swear not to tell _anyone_…except maybe your parents. Deal?"

"Deal," she agreed, interlocking her pinky with mine. Though I don't exactly agree with the 'honesty' going on behind it, I could tell Lili anything and she wouldn't squeal.

"Okay. My mom _did_ send me and Angelique to go to the _S.S. Tipton_ to do the whole Semester At Sea thing because, after all, she was one of Mr. Tipton's head advisors. There, I met Cody and his twin brother Zack, and we had the perfect friendship among the three of us—Cody was smart and logical while Zack enjoyed skateboarding like me."

Lili paid very close attention to this as I went on. I was slightly afraid, as this was the part where the accident occurred.

"Then, we finished the ninth grade. It wasn't a big deal or anything, but we did so well that Mr. Moesby—the old manager of the Boston Tipton and the current manager of the _S.S. Tipton_—made us honorary valedictorians, which is kind of…_good._ The night of the graduation, we spent the entire night together, because we just had become this couple thing. I still wasn't quite used to it, considering I hadn't had a boyfriend to speak of, but I was happy, and that's all that mattered anyway. That night, as we were talking, I spoke of my fear of having to go back to California while I had just started a relationship out at sea. He said that he didn't want me to leave, either, and that night we spent the night together _in his suite._"

Lili was grinning at this point. She knew this story was about to get good—for her, not so much for me. I was the one who would soon become a human blimp or be branded the girl with a pillow shoved up her shirt.

"That night, we realized our time together might have been limited, so we talked about—about doing _it._ We eventually did, and Cody used protection, but it broke, so now I am one and a half months pregnant."

Lili's mouth dropped open. I could tell she wasn't expecting any part of the ending I had just given her, but I knew that I had to tell her eventually now that she was here in Boston with us.

"You're…you're kidding," she said. "Please tell me you're kidding."

"No," I said sadly, on the verge of tears. "We came here—to Boston—so that we wouldn't have to tell anyone about it and be ashamed. Because I know Cody is. He thinks this whole thing is his entire fault. But he shouldn't think that. We were _both_ stupid."

With the end of my speech, I broke into tears. Lili came over to support me as I cried.

"It's okay, Tori," she told me as I wept.

"No, it's not. If we would have just said no or if we never even discussed me leaving we wouldn't be here right now. We still don't know if we're keeping the baby or not, or if we're putting it up for adoption."

"What do _you_ want to do?"

I had never thought about it that way. I'd love to keep it, but I didn't think Cody would want to. What with him being only fifteen—possibly sixteen at the time of the birth if things worked for us—I doubted he'd want to be a father.

"I'd like to keep it, but I don't think Cody is ready. I mean, we have books on parenting, but we never really officially discussed what we planned on doing. Maybe we can look at adoptive parents, but I really just don't know."

"You guys should talk about it. Tonight. Maybe over dinner. Hey. There's a market downtown. Maybe you and me could go while Cody's at work, then while he's still gone, you could make dinner and talk about things over it."

I loved the way my best friend thought. I smiled at her. "Lili, you're a genius!" I threw my arms around her in a huge bear hug like we used to do when we were young. Lili smiled and hugged me back. I realized in a few months this wouldn't be possible.

"But you've got to stay here for dinner," I told her, breaking away. I mostly left her arms in shock of that realization rather than to add something. While this whole thing had been real to me since the start, it just dawned on me that everything would happen for me.

"What? No way! It's just supposed to be you two discussing your child's future."

"But what if something goes wrong? Like…what if he gets really angry? Or really depressed even? This whole thing has robbed us of our childhood and innocence. Raising the baby would just hurt it even more."

"Oh…alright. But I'm going to stay hidden. Like in a bathroom or closet or something. But still here, okay?" I loved my best friend as if she was my sister, but sometimes she could get difficult—like my mother.

"That works. We should probably go now, so we can beat the dinner rush." It was one in the afternoon, and in about an hour or two everyone would be rushing to the market to pick up last minute dinner plans. "But what should I make?"

"What does Cody like? If you don't want to upset him, make his favorite."

"Well, he likes chicken Alfredo. But as a vegetarian I refuse."

"What else?" I think Lili was more interested in finding out more about my boyfriend and my baby's daddy than about what he liked. After all, if Cody liked something, odds are his baby would like it, too.

"He likes that French bread. Maybe I could use that as a side. And a salad."

"Good. Eat healthy. But is it healthy to be a vegetarian while pregnant?"

"This one _incredible_ parenting book says that as long as I get plenty of protein it's perfectly safe and healthy for me to stay away from meat. Oh, and Cody likes lasagna, so maybe I could pick up a vegetarian one, too."

"Okay. You should also get apple cider. My mom said when she was in high school and she was asked out on a date to a fancy restaurant, they'd order apple cider over wine, that way they wouldn't feel tempted to do actual drinking."

"Great! I love your ideas. Hey, maybe we could change the salad to a fruit salad? It's so much cheaper at the market here to buy a bunch of fruit instead of salad fixings. Plus, I hate any food that is green…besides grapes, of course."

"Sure. It's still fancy but kind of laid back. I like your thinking."

"I like yours, too."

"What about dessert?"

I pondered for a minute about what Cody liked. I realized there were about a million dessert choices, but in the end one thing stuck out in my mind that was fairly easy: apple pie. Still going organic with a bit of flavor.

"Apple pie," I said, thinking about how much cooking this would require.

"Perfect—American yet elegant. Classy."

Glancing at the clock and figuring how long this whole thing would take, I told her, "We better get going if we want to finish this all before Cody gets home. We don't have much time."

"You're right. We should have planned this sooner. Come on, I'll pay."

* * *

At the market, I realized this is where Cody interned last summer. I was cautious around the manager, Wayne, because Cody did all the shopping with our limited money, and I was afraid of what he might have been telling him.

Finding most of the stuff was easy, and surprisingly, they had a vegetarian lasagna, and cheap, too. Looking at the stuff we had in our basket, I got a little worried. All this stuff was pretty fancy.

"Look, Tori, they've got the really fancy bread for cheap!" Lili said, holding a long stick of French bread in her hand that didn't cost much. She frowned when she saw me with the worried look on my face. "What's wrong?"

"All this food is just so…_fancy._ But all of our plates in the suite are just so casual. And our glasses and silverware. All of our silverware is _plastic,_ Lili!" I knew it was a stupid reason to, but I almost cried under the stress.

"Hey, that's an easy one. They've got some really nice looking stuff over here. The plates are plastic, but they look like glass and are so nice. See?" She held up an entire package of plates to show me. "And they've got some really elegant glasses and silverware."

"Plastic cups and silverware?" I asked mockingly.

"Nah, this stuff is real glass and stainless steel. Come on, I'd promise I pay."

As she dragged me to the register, I was a little skeptical. "I'm not sure if I can let you do that, Lili. I mean, it's my problem. You don't have to pay just because we're a little tight on money right now."

"But I came up with the plan. I _should_ pay. Besides, you didn't bring any money."

I still was uneasy but let her fork over the money anyway—forty-four dollars and eighty-one cents, I might add. I nearly yelped though when she gave me her change. It was only five dollars and nineteen cents, but I couldn't bear to take it from her.

"No, Lili," I said simply. "I couldn't possibly take that money from you."

"Tori, you deserve it. You're barely making ends meet as it is. Take it."

Slowly I took it and we went back to the suite. There, I cooked dinner as Lili set up the table, and eventually I helped her. I even rigged my iPod to play through the TV. There was a genius playlist that had sorted through songs like _I'll Be_ or _1 2 3 4_. Romantic ones. Eventually, the food was done so I took it out of the oven and reheated the oven so that the pie would be ready to put in. I set all the food on the table quickly so that it was ready when Cody got there. Finally, with the pie baking and everything ready, I changed into a loose fitting dress (which was black, so I could wear it without feeling like a girl) and some of Lili's really expensive looking but cheap flip flops.

At last he was coming. Lili hid and Cody opened the door to see the suite looking elegant.

"Whoa. What'd I miss? Did someone die?"

"No one died," I told him, gesturing to a chair, telling him without words to sit down. He did as he was supposed to, and looked around at what I had prepared as I too took up a chair.

"Vegetarian lasagna. Fruit salad. French bread. Apple cider. And…is that apple pie? What is going on?"

I knew I couldn't keep it secret any longer. "Cody, we need to talk."

"Oh, no."

"What?"

"'We need to talk' usually means…bad things. So what's wrong? Are you…are you…breaking up with me?"

"I'm not breaking up with the _father_ of my _baby._ Nothing's wrong. But we need to talk about what we're going to do with…well, with the baby."

"Oh, God."

"Well, what are we going to do? I'm definitely not having an abortion, there's just no way. But I'm not sure what you want to do."

There was a pause.

"Cody?"

"What do _you_ want to do?"

I knew he'd ask. Damn. "Well, I definitely want to keep it. Because what if this is my only chance to have children and we give it away?"

"I never thought of it that way. But you're right. This may be our only chance to have a baby. Like what would happen if I became sterile, and…"

I started to sing and cover my ears. I really didn't want to hear that talk. "La la la la, you did not just say that, la la la la la…"

He smiled. "Sorry."

"It's okay. But I think the not having any more kids thing would be more on my side than yours. Like early…" The look on his face told me not to say the 'm' word around him. "But still, I definitely want to _have_ the baby."

"Whatever you want," he said, reaching across the table, putting his hand on top of mine. I smiled at him, but inside I was wondering why he had to be so Goddamn sweet.

* * *

**Yay, a Vody moment! I don't do that all that often (in my opinion) but I definitely loved it in this chapter. I also loved the long chapter. It was so long I had to write the last of it in Document Manager (uploaded version was 2,774 words, the finished product was 3,870 words, counting to the end of this author's note. Please review. It's what keeps me going.**

**Kristina: Glad to see someone enjoyed it. Thanks for reviewing. :) (I really got to write more in these replies)**

**Wyntirsno: I'm glad to see that you turned into a regular reviewer. Yes, Zack went back to the ship after seeing Victoria was alright. I think I'm going to have Lili take over as the person that Victoria and Cody go to for advice. I bet someone who reads _Twilight_ will be delighted to know that Lili's last name is Cullen. I doubt that Cody will call Zack again. I'd tell you in a PM what will happen at the end so that you don't have to keep asking, but it'd give it away and be less fun. Whoa. I think this reply was a little bit more thorough.**

**I READ THROUGH THIS STORY TO FIX ANY ERRORS! I SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT BEFORE WITH THE OTHER CHAPTERS BUT BEING LAZY I FORGOT! SO DON'T THINK I'M HYPOCRITICAL FOR POINTING OUT ERRORS IN OTHER THINGS WHEN I DON'T CORRECT MY OWN WORK! THANK YOU!**

**--Maddie Marie**


	10. I Made My Mistakes, Life Goes On

**STOP_!! __I rewrote the first four chapters of the story. _You may want to go back and read those chapters over again unless you started reading this story as of…well, let's just say if you didn't start reading this story until recently. I even changed the author's note a little. So before reading any further, reread the first four chapters of the story. Also, in case you didn't catch the change in chapter eight, Victoria's middle name is now Heather. I am also trying to mention the names of the chapters before the story actually starts. Thank you!!**

* * *

**Chapter Nine: I Made My Mistakes, Life Goes On**

_Victoria's POV_  
Cody and Lili were getting to know each other nicely when I felt that the bread we had with dinner was planning on going to back to France—basically, I was ready to vomit.

Hoping it would subside, I continued to sit on the couch with them. They seemed to be getting along nicely so I knew they wouldn't have a problem with each other. Suddenly, I realized the feeling _would_ pass—pass through my mouth. I stood up, covering my mouth, and ran for the bathroom.

"Excuse me…" I said, running.

I barely had time to throw up the lid before I vomited, violently sick. Cody and Lili came running.

"Oh, my God, Tori!" Lili cried. She turned to Cody. "Is it food poisoning?"

"I think it's just morning sickness," Cody told Lili. "A lot less dangerous and health concerned, but still."

"But it's seven thirty _at night._ How could she have morning sickness?"

"It happens all hours of the day."

Suddenly the two became aware that I was still sitting there, puking my guts out.

"Oh, sorry!" Cody said, running to me. "What…how…what should I do?"

"Hold my hair back, you idiot!" I snapped at him the one time I wasn't throwing up my breakfast, lunch, _and_ dinner.

"Uh…right…how?"

It was pretty obvious that Cody was worried. He had been ever since he came to his senses about this and decided to help me out with my pregnancy. In fact, at times I wasn't sure he was thinking. Right now, for instance, is a great example of just that.

"Oh, here, let me do it," Lili snapped coldly. She shoved Cody out of the way and took a rubber band off her wrist, tying my hair into a ponytail to keep it out of my eyes. Then, without me telling him to, Cody crossed to where I was at, sat on the floor next to me, and held my hand, rubbing my back all the while with his other hand. I knew then that I was glad to have told him even though I was unsure at first.

Eventually, I was done. _Thank God._

"You alright?" Cody asked me, all too sweetly.

I immediately started to cry and realized how much I had been doing that since I first found out I was pregnant.

"Now I _know_ I can't do this," I told him. "I'm sorry, but I really want an abortion now. I know how much you value life, but I just can't handle this anymore. I'm sorry."

"No."

I was slightly taken aback. "What?"

"No. I said no."

"But I thought you were cool with whatever I wanted."

"I need to voice my opinion. Because while I do respect your opinions because it is, after all, your decision to make, I just can't let you abort our baby. I already feel connected to it—I mean the baby—I'm working on that. I need to know whether it's a girl or boy. I want to be there for my child unlike my dad ever was there for me."

"But…"

"I'm sorry, Victoria. I know it's going to be difficult, but I'm definitely saying no to an abortion."

"Well, true," Lili said. She'd been silent for a while now. "I mean, 'what do you want to do' isn't really an answer to 'what are we going to do'." She smiled at me. "And by the way, I'm going to be here for you, too. I promise."

"Really?" Now I cried even harder because I had the love of my best friend.

"But listen, Victoria," Cody said, returning to the problem at hand. He took my hands in both of his. "I _do_ want this baby. At times it doesn't seem like I do, but I definitely want to. I have, really, since you told me you were pregnant."

"What? But then you said…"

"Yeah, I know what I said, but secretly I was thinking, I really want to have this child, no matter what happens. I mean, it's just that…you're my first love Victoria, and I can tell you my only one, too."

"What does that have to do with…?"

"I need to tell you how I really feel. I love you and I love the baby. It's just that…while we're afraid, at the same time,_ I'm excited! _In about seven months, we're going to be _parents._ And you better not tell me that doesn't make you even a little excited."

"Well…I guess it does…but I'm too afraid to. I just know I'm going to be an awful mother. I know I'm going to screw_ something_ up, and everything about this just makes it even more…well, nerve wracking."

"I can promise you, you'll be a great mother, the only thing you should be worried about right now is what you're going to name the baby once she… or he is born."

"What? Why'd you pause after she?"

"You know I want a daughter, right?"

"Actually no. You've never said anything."

"Well, every time I imagine the baby, I think of it as a girl. Also, the middle name 'Victoria' just doesn't work for a boy, does it?"

"Victoria…?" Suddenly, I realized he wanted to name the baby after me. "Oh, Cody…"

"I'll leave," Lili said, exiting. For once, I was glad she was gone.

"You know what that means, right?"

"No. What?"

"That you better be having a girl or I'll be really upset."

I laughed. "Well, technically, if the baby's a boy, it's your fault. Remember, the male cells determine the gender?"

"Oh, yeah, that's right." He smiled. "Then I'll beat myself up."

"You wouldn't do that just because your son is a son."

"Yeah, I wouldn't, but you know…"

"I know, I know, daughter, got it covered." I changed my face to a serious expression. "Cody?"

"Yes, Victoria?"

"Are we going to go back to school in the fall? At Cheever's?"

"Well, we're going to have to _go_ to school. We don't want to be branded as dumb hicks, do we?" I couldn't help but have a slight smile.

"By the time school starts up again, though, I'm going to show."

"School starts actually in two weeks. Then you'll be two months. Nothing to show." He smiled. "Except, of course, your beautiful face."

I punched him playfully in the arm. "You and I both know I am not pretty, let alone _beautiful._"

"Of course you're pretty. You're very pretty. And that's not the only reason I love you."

He started to leave, but turned around. "Oh, yeah. Boys? At school? Off limits."

"Got it," I said, smiling, happy to have someone who cared so much.

* * *

_Two days later_  
"I'm scared," I confessed to Lili.

"Well, we're going to have to tell her sometime," Lili told me. I loved how reassuring she could be, even though I was the most terrified I had been in a while.

We were going to tell her mom that I was pregnant.

I knew I had to do it eventually but I was just so afraid. Finally, both Lili and Cody sat me down and told me, point blank, that I needed to tell her eventually. Then we'd have another adult helping us out—hopefully.

"But what if she's not as understanding as everyone?"

"She's going to be fine. Remember, she's a mother herself, so she'll understand what you're going through. Besides, I know my mom, and she's a nice, kind, sweet, and caring woman."

Lili and I walked cautiously into her suite. Her mother was sitting on the couch. Lili and I agreed we'd have a conversation on how things had been in my absence, and then tell her what happened with me, Cody…and the baby.

"Hey, Mom," Lili said, smiling as she walked in.

"Hi, Lili. Victoria." She grinned at Lili and I. I could always remember how sweet she was.

"Mom, Victoria wanted to catch up with you, tell you how things were going." The entire time I couldn't help but think, _This is it. No going back now._

"Sure, but isn't it late?"

"Well, yeah," I said, knowing I had to take over from here. "But you're awake."

"I stayed awake because I needed to ask you something. You're not…you're not pregnant or anything, are you?"

I stuttered as I replied, "Wh-why would y-you ask something like th-that?"

"Well, Victoria, you've been acting very weird lately. At first I thought it was because I hadn't seen you in a year, but then I started thinking. Oh, and you're stuttering, so you're trying to cover something up. I mean, you're lying. You're lying all the time. You stutter when you lie. And you're hungry all the time. You eat so much all the time—too much for a fourteen-year-old girl to consume. And you've got breasts now—not that you didn't before, but then you were already so developed. And I you got sick, but you love everything I mean you have a stomach of steel, like your father. So? Tell me if you are. I won't tell anyone I don't need to. I promise. You're going to need me if you are. Because most people won't be understanding and you're going to need support."

I wondered where she learned about all of this, but I was so stunned I merely said, "I have support, Donna Jo."

"Not in this world. Not if you're having a baby. Just tell me, are you? Are you having a baby?"

At this point I was crying silently. I nodded and whispered, "Yeah."

She reached over and pulled me into a tight hug. I wasn't sure if she understood or not, but it was nice to have her around again.

"Now, Mom," Lili cut in. "I just want you to know that Victoria is still very responsible despite everything, and I know you probably aren't that understanding, Mom, but she's going to need support now more than ever."

"I never said I wasn't understanding. But I never expected it from Victoria. I mean, she was pretty much the best role model there is. She was the perfect student, the perfect _girl._ Do you really expect it from someone like her?"

Before, I had a perfect life. Now, I had an overprotective boyfriend and an unborn baby living in me. Living through me. Living because of me. I wasn't sure how many different ways I could say that.

"But…have you thought of everything yet?" Mrs. Cullen asked me.

"Yes," I answered immediately.

"What are you going to do with the baby?"

"I'm going to keep the baby."

"School?"

"We're going to school until I can't go anymore, then we're going back after I have the baby."

"But what about the baby? What will happen to the baby while you're at school? A newborn can't be left by itself."

"Well, I…"

"And what about money?"

"Cody's working at the Tipton's daycare center."

"That's not going to be much money, Victoria."

"Oh."

"In reality, it pays less than the candy counter. Your plan isn't looking out so good."

"What if…what if _I_ got a job?"

"Honey, after a while, you wouldn't be able to work. You'd be on maternity leave rather quickly, so…it's kind of pointless. How far along did you say you were?"

I was uncomfortable answering all these questions. "I—I didn't. But it's been a month and a half since…"

"You're going to have to leave then in about five and a half months. Probably with little pay, too, considering most minors aren't allowed to do much work by law."

"But…maybe I could still get a job."

"Tori, you're going to feel so overworked that it's probably a good and bad thing."

"But…but…I need to get a job. I love this baby, and want to have it, but I need money for that." I could feel tears forming in my eyes, but I scolded myself. I had cried too much in this pregnancy to do it again.

"I'm sorry. I really don't know what to tell you right now. I know you're probably scared out of your right mind, but there's nothing really to tell you. I was never pregnant before marriage, so…I really don't know. Go job hunting, though, you'll need it. But do remember, I'm here for you." She smiled at me, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Thank you."

* * *

I told Lili I was going back to my suite and left, thinking about all of this. It felt like the elevator was spinning, and my head hurt so bad I thought it would explode. I put a hand to my head and tried to calm down. I needed Tylenol…_bad._

In the suite, I went to get Tylenol, but saw Cody on the couch…crying.

"Cody? Cody, what's wrong?"

"I have proof that a majority of this was my fault."

"What?"

"I was carrying, well…_the condom_ around with me."

"And?"

"And the condom against my body heat made it break more easily. Or because I didn't put it on right. If I really cared about your health and safety, I would have thought this through."

"It's not your fault. Okay, yes, both of those are possible, but honestly…"

"Honestly you were right when we were fighting when you told me. Condoms break all the time. We honestly weren't ready for sex just yet. And you were right in saying I ruined your life, because I did. I didn't need to be carrying those things around, and I should have taken my time to make sure it was on right."

"But what if we did it at my…"

"If it was in your suite, I still could have said, 'could you give me a minute to go get some protection?' Then the chances of it breaking would be smaller."

"Well, yeah, but I thought you said you _wanted_ to have her!"

"Her?"

"Or him."

"Okay, yeah, I do want to have her…or him. But now I know I am completely responsible for this situation."

"Then it probably doesn't help to bring up 'you did most of the work', does it?"

"Not at all. But Victoria…I love you, but if I loved you, I would have thought about this, wouldn't I?"

"Well, yeah, but then we wouldn't be having a baby, and…"

"That's my point! Then you wouldn't be pregnant and I wouldn't be responsible! Now we're going back to school, and everyone's going to say things about you, and…"

"Say things?" I never thought about it until now, but obviously it was possible.

"You know, call you things, talk about you when you're not around, that kind of stuff. And I love you too much to let that happen. I'd do anything for you, Victoria, and you know that, but I can't just tell people 'stop' and they will."

"That proves it, we're not ready for this."

I turned to leave, but Cody jumped up and grabbed my shoulder and turned me around. I turned and looked at him for all of half a second before he pulled me in tight enough to kiss me. For a while, I might add. We pulled away after almost an eternity.

"Are we ready now?" he asked playfully.

"No, but now I don't care."

Cody smiled. "I think I'd want to marry you one day."

I pulled away from him. "You can't be serious?"

"Of course I am. Not right now, of course, but later. Much later than this, hopefully. But still, one day."

"Is this your idea of proposing?" I asked, a little worried.

"No, it's not. When I propose, I want to be positive that I'm ready, and I want it to be romantic. Not when I'm fifteen talking to my girlfriend I accidentally got pregnant."

"But basically…?"

"Basically, yes."

* * *

**I feel now like I'm writing a teen drama instead of a story. Maybe I can post a drama of this in the form of a script on another website if anyone is interested. :) **

**Yay. Another Vody. But about ten times more sweet. Sorry I had to throw in the bit about how Cody thinks it's his fault, I was researching pregnancy to make this story more factual, and I found out that the body heat from the male carrying around a condom makes it more likely to break. So I was like, 'whaaaaaaaaat?! NO WAY!!' But actually it is true.**

**And I knew I wanted Cody to say something sweet like that to Victoria before the end so that she'd know why he was so upset about the whole thing, because most people would probably not be so supportive, because, as you've seen, he is very caring. In fact, sometimes while writing, I go back and see what I wrote and think, "Whoa…stalker!"**

**Wyntirsno: I can always count on you to review. :) STOP MAKING ME SO DAMN HAPPY!! JEEZUM!! … :o Actually, on second thought, review all you want. :) I love you. Not really. But I do love you for reading and reviewing every chapter. Yeah, Lili is a good friend, I added her because I had a dream that they had turned my story into a drama and I starred as Victoria, and then Lili just walked right in, so I was like 'yeah…that could work…'. I realized right before I read your review everything you said about the talk they had. I can't say this enough, BUT HE WILL TALK TO ZACK. I'd answer the other stuff here but I'm afraid of giving away spoilers to everyone else who may want to wait to find out what happens (whoa…**_**want to wait**_** sounds a lot like what Cody and Victoria were discussing…).**

_**CONTEST IDEA!!!!**_

**Anyone who comes up with the best idea for a terrible first day at school will be able to read any chapter they want before it's published and everyone else sees it, given either through private message or DocX (probably PM).**

**This is open to anyone. Not just Wyntirsno. I know they'll do it. But still, anyone and everyone! Thank you all! Everyone in the audience gets a fruit basket! :)**

**--Maddie Marie**


	11. Cry With Me

**Ooh, it was **_**so**_** hard choosing a winner(s), what with Wyntirsno, julie12xbones1237, AND Kristina giving me ideas. I love them all, I'll try to fit them in, but I'll announce the winner at the end (that is, if I can find one I like). Oh, well, please review anyway, it would really help.**

**Chapter Ten: Cry With Me**

* * *

_Victoria's POV—Seventh period, Advanced Drama_  
One thing I have learned? School with Cody's old enemies just plain sucks.

The good thing about this class is that Lili, Cody, and our new friend Trevor are all in it.

Which is weird, considering I didn't know Cody even _liked_ acting.

Obviously Lili's good at acting. She's been acting like she didn't like Trevor all day.

The worst part of this class? We have to sit on the floor, and in a few months, that will be easier said than done.

But whatever, I like this class already. I walked in the door and spotted Lili. The teacher's instructions were on the door, and they said: _Find a group of four and sit down. You choose. You may talk quietly before class starts._ Luckily, there are four of us, so we can easily be our group.

I sat down as Lili smiled at me. "Hey, Tori," she said.

"Hey, Lil. How has class been?"

"Okay. But trigonometry is so _boring!_"

"Yeah, I know." Lili had trigonometry sixth period, and I had it second. Second period, like most classes, was boring as well. I was sick of school, and I used to love it.

Suddenly, a young girl with a posse walked in.

"Who's _that?_" I asked in amazement.

She snapped her fingers. Immediately a girl ran over and sprayed perfume.

"Oh, that's Barbara Brownstein. She used to be a sweet girl but now she's a drama queen. That's her posse, Haley, Drew, and Bob, and they worship the ground she walks on. I'd watch out if I were you, she used to date Cody and is quite the jealous type."

I watched in amazement as Haley ran to _dust_ the ground Barbara was about to sit on.

"She seems…interesting," I muttered as Cody and Trevor walked in, gossiping in a guyish form.

I didn't even know guys did that. What else is new.

"Hey, girls," Cody said, sitting down, reading the board. Suddenly, his eyes fell on Barbara. He stopped smiling. "Oh no."

"What?" I asked.

"Barbara is in this class."

"So…?"

"She's a total…" he looked around to make sure no one was listening, then stuttered, "_brat_ now. You're going to want to stay away…"

"Why is everyone warning me?" I muttered, pulling a few loose pieces of paper from my binder that were shoved precariously in my locker.

"What are these?" Cody pulled them from my grasp and skimmed them. "Love letters?"

I yanked them back. "It's nothing."

"Who is it? I'm gonna kill them."

"Jealous much?"

"Well, they suck at poetry, I'll tell you that," Lili said, looking at an orange paper with a short poem scrawled across it. The first five lines were crossed out. They were trying to rhyme something with _Victoria_ but didn't have much luck.

"What?" Lili said, studying a very unflattering note.

"Blackmail," I said. "There's fifteen of them, all of them are blackmail."

"And written by a girl," Trevor said. I had forgotten he was there, but he was examining the letters. The person used a pink pen and dotted their I's with hearts.

Lili gasped. "You have an admirer who's _lesbian?_"

We all shot her a dirty look in disgust. Of course. She _is_ simple minded at times.

"Of course not," I told her. "Whoever wrote these was trying to blackmail me."

Cody crumpled up the one he was holding in disgust.

"Calm down," I told him. "It's not a big deal…"

"It is to _me!_"

Lili cut in. "Just because you're in love with her doesn't mean…"

At that point we noticed someone standing over us.

The "queen" of the school and her posse. She looked like a member of the mafia.

"Hello. Whatcha got there?"

"It's none of your business!" Lili snapped immediately.

"I see you got my letters," Barbara said, smiling.

"Y…_your_ letters?" Cody managed to stutter.

"Scandalous, aren't they? Of course, I figured you'd find out it's me…"

At that point, I could tell that lunch hadn't agreed with me, and I was having morning sickness. And my heart had just broken. True, I was happy with Cody, but it would have been nice to know a guy who barely knew me that wrote those letters, not some egotistical girl seeking revenge before she even knew me. I clasped a hand over my mouth, hoping no one saw.

Too late. Lili was turning to me. "Are you alright…?"

Before she could finish, I had hopped up and ran down the hall. I could hear Barbara laughing the entire way. I immediately heard the door open again, but I didn't look back. I flung open the door to the girls' room.

I ran to the nearest open stall (they were all open, everyone else was in class), and vomited. After I was done, I remained on the floor, crying. There was no way I was surviving school on top of it all.

* * *

_Lili's POV_  
As soon as Victoria left the classroom, Barbara started laughing.

"Guess she can't take criticism," she said, snickering.

I stood up, and so did Cody and Trevor. I ran out the door, but stayed close by, not sure what to do.

"Listen, Barbara," Cody hissed, grabbing the front of her shirt. "I really don't want to be seen fighting a girl. But you better lay off before I smack you silly. Have I made myself clear?"

"No," she hissed, smirking.

He shoved her down, running to the door. The teacher came and saw us starting to leave.

"Where are you going…?"

"Bathroom!" we yelled simultaneously.

"You need a hall pass!" he yelled, but we didn't slow. I did slow, however, outside the girls' room.

"She's in there," I guessed. Cody stood still.

I walked in and easily spotted her—her black Converse were on the floor under a stall. I flung it open—she had forgotten to lock it—and saw her sitting on the floor, crying. She didn't look up when I opened the door.

"Tori…?"

"It's just not fair," she said, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What's not—?"

"Kids are picking on me because I'm different."

Suddenly I felt remorse. "Oh, don't tell me they know already…"

"No, but they know something's up." She wiped her eyes.

I pulled her into a tight hug. It was kind of awkward but she was my best friend. She haphazardly hugged me back.

"Are you going back to class?" I asked her.

"Ugh. As if I could."

I smile and laugh at her. "You're going to ditch on the first day?"

"Well…I'll get mean looks when I walk in, the teacher will probably get on me for leaving…"

"So what? You were being picked on!"

"And I vomited," she tells me.

"Nice, didn't need to know that…well, I'm going back to class. See you later?"

"Okay, sure."

I stepped out of the bathroom and saw Cody's eager eyes. "Well…?"

"She's fine. And ditching, by the way."

"She's _ditching class?_"

"Yeah? Are you going to ditch with her?"

"I don't know…it sounds so…_dirty,_ ya know?"

"I can't say I do," I said, walking back. I couldn't help but notice he never came back in, and Tori didn't, either.

* * *

_Victoria's POV—After School_  
Cody and I ditched drama. I can't believe we did that.

Ever since we found out I was pregnant, everything has been so…wrong. We've been stupid ever since that night, and…

Suddenly my phone is vibrating. I pull it out of my pocket. It's reminding me of something:

_3:30—doctor_

"Oh, my gosh!" I yelled.

Cody, Lili, and Trevor all turned to look at me.

"What?" Lili asks.

"I have an ultrasound to go to in thirty minutes!"

Trevor looked confused. "A _what?_"

That's when I realized we never told him.

Crap.

"I'll explain later," Cody said. "Do you need me to take you or something?"

"You don't have a license or a car!"

"So?"

"Can I come?" Lili asked. She seemed enthusiastic about the baby. That makes one of us.

"Okay," I tell her, forcing a smile. She squeals.

"Well, I better go. Work?" Cody offers. I wave as I walk to the bus stop.

"See ya!"

Lili was bouncing around as we stand by the bus stop. "What is she gonna tell you?" Lili asks. "Are you gonna be able to tell if it's a girl or boy? Are you going to know when you're due? Are you…"

"Lili," I said, laughing. "Calm down. It's not that big a deal."

"Of course it is! A girl needs to know these things."

"I think I'd need to know them more than you, Lil." I smiled. She seemed to calm down a bit since I told her to. "It's just going to be a check up. You know what that means, right?"

"Of course I do, I'm not four years old. Now, what do they do at a check up like this?"

I actually had no idea, so I just guessed.

"Well, they're going to tell me if I'm having one baby or more—hopefully one, I can't handle more than that yet—and if the baby's healthy. You know, like have only one head, and, uh, the usual…"

"Wouldn't it be cool if it had two heads though?!" Lili said excitedly. People turned to look. I felt embarrassed, but Lili didn't seem to notice it. "I mean, think about it, _TWO HEADED BABY!_"

"Lili!" I cried to get her to shut up. "Stop. You're just being ridiculous."

"But what if…"

"Two heads means two brains which means two babies which means twins, Lil."

"_But_ it'll have two heads!"

I shook my head. "You don't get it, do you?"

"Well, I've never been pregnant before!" Lili argued. Apparently she didn't take to mind that I haven't either.

"And you think I have?"

"Well, I have no idea about you and Cody…"

"Lili!" I cried out in shock. "I'm not like that. This one time was a huge decision for the both of us. I mean, I'm not even fifteen, you think I like this?"

My mind fluttered back to that night. After we had done "the deed", Cody wrapped his arms protectively around me, and slowly removed his purity ring, putting into a dresser drawer. That was the most prominent memory I had of that night. I wasn't sure what he did with the ring after we both just left, but I'm surprised that for nearly a month Zack never noticed Cody was wearing it—or if he did, didn't ask why.

"Well…"

"There is no 'well'! Either yes or no!"

"Well…"

"I give up!" I said as a bus pulled to a stop in front of us. I jumped up into it as Lili nearly ran, still bursting with energy. "Lili, don't talk about it here," I said, referring to the high school kids seated on the bus. "I don't want them knowing."

"But they're going to find out in a few months."

"Lili! Shut. _Up!_"

We quickly found two seats near the back. No one was in earshot, so I whispered to Lili, "You can talk now."

"_FINALLY!_" she yelled. People turned to look at her. "A little loud?"

"Ya think?!"

She gasped. "What if it's twins?"

I laughed. "You're crazy."

"Well, think about it…you have a twin sister…you _do_ remember Angelique, don't you?"

"No! Perish the thought!"

"And Cody has a twin. Like, Jack, or something?"

"It's Zack, yeah, they're twins, but it doesn't mean anything."

"Okay, if you say so…"

In fact, I was thinking the same thing. I was praying beyond belief. Cody and I are teenagers; taking care of twins would be too much. Cody's doing all he can, which is great, but still.

* * *

Two hours later, we were back at the Tipton, and Lili was talking away.

"How'd it go?" Cody asked.

Before I could answer, Lili immediately yelled, "We got there, and everyone was talking to us like we were adults! And then, the…"

"Okay, good to know…"

"You don't have to worry, twins skipped a generation," I said. He sighed out of relief.

"Thank _God,_" he said. "I don't think I could have handled that…find out anything else?"

"I'm supposedly due on March twenty-sixth."

"Thank you!" he said. "If the date is right, I'll be sixteen by then. March eighth."

"Oh, yeah, you would be." I smiled. I was grateful. I really wanted Cody to be sixteen; everything would be much easier for us.

"Hey, speaking of birthdays, what do you want for yours?" Lili asked.

"Lil, that's four months away," I told her.

"So? I like to be prepared." She smiled. "So, what do you want?"

"Yeah, what _do_ you want?" Cody asked.

"I want for everyone to stop freaking out," I said, flopping down on the couch, sighing. "I'm turning fifteen in December, big whoop. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is you're turning fifteen in December!" Lili cried. She flopped down next to me. "Tori, you can't be saying you don't want anything for your birthday whatsoever."

"It's not that I don't want anything. I just want people to stop freaking out about things that are four and seven months away."

"Well, who wouldn't freak about the second one?" Cody asked. I punched him hard in the arm.

* * *

**Okay, crappy ending, my bad, I just got so sick of this chapter. I have three ideas planned out for the next one but I need help choosing which one to use:**

**A) Have a flashback episode showing the history of Vody;**

**B) Skip ahead to the first school dance; or**

**C) Have the entire school find out about Victoria's secret**

**Personally I want to get one of the first two done first, but I will get all ideas out before the end of this story. Just tell me which!**

**Wyntirsno: I tried to keep the same essence of the story, but to do that, I had to make Cody meaner. Besides, I did it waaay more realistically… ;) Anyway, it was in the rewrites, Carey has no idea, she moved somewhere else getting a better paying job while still staying in Boston. I used your idea of Barbara ;)**

**Juliex1237bones12: Yeah. Thanks. That's all I got. :l**

**Kristina: When I saw 'trojen' I immediately thought to my rewrite of chapter one XD. I managed to fit your ideas in (some of them anyway) but not all of them. Because Zack is…can't say it without giving away the ending! GAH!**

**Anyway, the winner(s) are…Wyntirsno and Kristina!! Yay!! ;P Wyntirsno, I'll mail you the next chapter in PM, and Kristina, just send me an email so I can send the document to you (my email is on my page).**

**PLEASE REVIEW!! I beg of you.**

**--Maddie Marie**


	12. The Sweet Life?

**I haven't updated in like, well, forever, and I'm sorry, but I just started school (I know, I know, already) and I haven't had much time to do my own thing recently (okay, that's a lie, it's just I have been working on this chapter for so long and I'm really getting frustrated so I started some Harry Potter stories, which are better for me to write because the whole pregnancy plot is kinda hard for me, and now I'm rambling...DAMN! Okay, sorry, I didn't need to use profanity). So here's an attempt at the chapter!!**

**Chapter Eleven: The Sweet Life?**

_Victoria's POV—Thirty Minutes Before Fall Formal  
_There's half an hour before the dance starts, and Lili is nervous about her date with Trevor, as she keeps asking the stupidest questions ("What if he asks me if I want to dance and I really want to? What if my dress falls off? _WHAT IF I FORGET TO WEAR CLOTHES?!_" That last one was after she had her dress _on_). I feel especially evil about hooking her up with Trevor, a feeling I usually leave to my evil sister, Angelique.

God, I miss her. The way her twin telepathy drove her nuts, the way we could _almost_ pass as each other—she couldn't do anything about her monotone no matter how hard she tried—the way we disagreed on, oh, I don't know, _everything._ If we didn't dress like polar opposites Mom couldn't tell us apart. I bet poor Angie is getting ready for her first school event without me there. I feel really bad for leaving her, but she just wouldn't approve. She was really suspicious that something was up before I left, I know it—the way she talked about my body was the first clue, considering she talked about how it looked like I had an hourglass figure, and, I can't believe I'm about to say this, a fuller bust. She wouldn't forgive me. I was always the perfect twin, the one that never disobeyed.

Ha!

I wish.

Lili was just about to ask another stupid question (she opened her mouth suddenly and took in a deep breath before she could say anything) when I cut her off.

"Just don't ask it, okay?"

"How do you know I was going to ask a question?"

"Please, Lil, I've known you for a long time now. I know when you're going to ask a question."

She pouted. She only does that when she's thinking—I have some strange friends—so I knew I was in trouble.

"Can you tell me about your first date with Cody?"

I sighed. "Lil, can we not..."

"_Please, _Tori! I'm scared and I'm nervous and I honestly feel like I'm going to pee myself, and my dress is white!"

I couldn't help but laugh at that, and I screech when I laugh, so I don't think I helped the whole 'I'm going to pee myself' situation. I honestly do screech. It sounds like a dog whimpering. A_ very loud _dog whimpering. I think I gave the baby a small heart attack before it's even born. And I was laughing _hard,_ which made it twice as bad.

"_What?_"

"Lil, you ask the stupidest questions!" I said, wiping a tear from my eye, checking in the mirror to make sure my mascara was okay. I just spent about two hours getting ready tonight (Mrs. Cullen is great with make-up and she offered to make us look good for tonight) and I didn't want to mess it up because I was laughing.

"Well, I just want to know! I really just want to know. What was your first date with Cody like?"

"My first date with Cody was my first date _period._"

"Well, what was it like?!"

"Uh..."

"Please!"

"Lili, do I have to do this?"

Her death glares told me that I did have to. I sighed. "Here we go...."

_

* * *

_

_Regular POV—Cody's Suite on the _S.S. Tipton  
It was the night of the last dance of the first semester of school on the _S.S. Tipton. _Apparently staff thought it would be "cute" to make everyone get a date in order to go, and everyone that had plans on going had either secured a date or was on the dance committee.

Everyone, that is, except Cody and Victoria.

Even Angelique got a date—Zack, but they were only going with each other so they'd have dates, and they only had dates so they could actually _go—_which was quite a surprise, considering she didn't show an interest in the male gender.

"How do I look?" Angelique asked before leaving.

"Since when do you care about how you look?" Cody asked bitterly.

"Hey, that's my dress!" Victoria cried.

"Yeah, but you're not going to wear it. It's pink, moron. I look like I'm wearing Pepto Bismal."

"Pepto Bismal is lighter," said Zack from the doorway. "You look more like you're wearing...hot pink flowers."

Angelique punched Zack in the arm.

"You two have fun," Cody called as the two left. The second the door clicked shut, the two groaned.

"I am so bored," Victoria said after fifteen minutes. "I think I'm gonna die!"

"Actually it's impossible to die of boredom. To actually _die_ of boredom you'd need to—"

"I don't care. I'm going to die."

Cody grinned. "Can I join you then? Because if you died of boredom I'd have nothing to do." He paused. "Actually I'm already there. I just have someone to vent to." He stood up. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"Suggestions for what?"

"Suggestions to pass the time."

"Homework."

"Already done," both said in unison. "The one time I hate being so smart," Victoria muttered. "Well, this sucks." She was hanging upside down on Cody's bed, staring at the ceiling. "You have nineteen pieces of gum on the ceiling. Zack, I'm guessing?"

"Yeah...do you care to join us down here on Earth, Ms. Astronaut?"

"Is Earth boring?"

"Well...yes."

"Then no."

Cody laughed. He paused, growing silent for a few seconds. Then he said, "Maybe we could go to the dance...?"

"Hey, bozo, one problem: we don't got dates."

"The correct term is we don't _have_ dates, and yes, we do. Each other."

Victoria sat up. "_What?_"

"Well, think about it: we have nothing to do, there's a dance going on, you need a date to get in, you're a girl, I'm not, it works out perfectly!"

"Another problem, genius: we're not dressed for a dance. Do you really think they'd let a girl wearing jeans and a Beatles jacket into a dance?"

"You have other clothes you can wear! And I do, too. Come on, we've got nothing to do. We might as well die of boredom unless we do something. A dance is going on, and we kind of go to the school the dance is at. What do you say?"

"I say you are legally insane. But whatever, it's better than staying in your suite and looking at Zack's chewing gum. Oh, but first, I have a question."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"How did he get that up there in the first place?" Cody laughed. The two started to get ready for the dance. Cody ran to make himself look—well, not like a nerd—and Victoria searched for a dress, shoes, and a jacket. Finally, the two were ready, and looked absolutely gorgeous: Cody's hair was brushed, he was wearing pretty fancy clothes, black shoes, and was holding a rose for Victoria. Victoria had her hair straightened with her bangs side-swept and she was wearing a white dress with black flowers on top, a black half jacket, and black high heeled shoes.

"Wow," Cody said, trying not to sound like an idiot. "You look...really nice. Where did you get all that?"

"Well, the dress is mine, the shoes are my mom's, and the jacket is Angie's, I figured they wouldn't mind if I borrowed them. You look nice, too."

"Thanks. Uh, this is for you." He handed her the rose.

"Thanks," Victoria said, blushing. They walked to the room the dance was at, and took their picture together to get their keepsake photos for later. They entered the dance floor, and all eyes in the room fell on them, apart from Zack.

"I can't believe it," Angelique said in disbelief. Zack turned, seeing Cody and Victoria standing together. His eyes opened wide and he shut them. The past few months he and Cody had been fighting for the attention of the lovely Victoria Heather Baker, and in the end, she ended up falling for Cody, the geek, the nerd, not him, Zack, the lady's man and self proclaimed stud. Sure, he and Cody looked almost exactly alike, but...

"Hi, Zack," Cody said awkwardly as the two reached their twins and talked privately.

"I guess you've won."

"Yeah, I guess...sorry."

"No, it's fine. She likes you better. I can't change that. So I'm sorry I nearly broke your leg. And your ribs. And your nose. And—"

"I get it, you're sorry you nearly killed me for her attention. I'm sorry too for fighting with you for a girl."

Zack smiled at this twin. "Yeah, and there's also the fact that you actually like her for who she is, not for the reason I liked her. I only liked her because she's a pretty face. Which I guess technically speaking doesn't mean I liked her at all." Zack knew he was rambling but he didn't stop speaking, and Cody's head started to spin. His twin attempted to kill him for a girl's attention, and he only liked the girl for her looks! Then again, that _was _something Zack would do....

Meanwhile, Victoria and Angelique were having a discussion as well.

"You look nice," Angelique said. "That my jacket?"

"Yeah, sorry."

"It's fine, you can use it. It looks great on you." She smiled. "So I guess you've chosen Cody?"

Victoria smiled. For a long time, Zack and Cody had been fighting over who 'got' Victoria to themselves. They asked Victoria to choose but unfortunately she didn't want to hurt either twin's feelings by rejecting them.

"Yeah. I really like him and we get along great and..."

"Go ahead. You're nice together."

The two girls hugged each other. "Angie, are you crying?" Victoria said as she pulled away, tears forming in her hazel eyes as well.

"Yeah...I am. It's just you and Cody are made for each other. I can feel it."

Victoria nearly cried harder."That's so sweet, Angie."

A slow song came on. _I'll Be _by Edwin McCain made couples frantically run to the dance floor, girls often dragging their dates onto the floor. Angelique grabbed Zack's wrist. "Come on," she said impatiently. "We're dancing."

"_Why?!_ Dancing is so..." Angelique's death glare told him he had better agree with her. "Coming!"

Victoria smiled at Zack to herself. Cody sighed and rolled his eyes, muttering something about how much of an idiot Zack was. "So, uh, I guess we're supposed to dance now," he told her nervously. She stared at the ground awkwardly. She thought she nodded, but the music was blaring so loud she couldn't hear herself think. It was a slow song but it was giving her a headache fast from how loud the DJ was blaring the song. She wanted to sit down more than anything, but it had been the first slow song played since they got there, and she knew they'd have to slow dance eventually. She let him lead her to the dance floor and they awkwardly started to dance.

"So," Cody said after about a minute.

"So," Victoria said back.

"I guess I'd better say this. Zack and I were talking earlier. He...he said that he only liked you because of the way you looked." He was slightly embarrassed to admit it but he continued, "So...he gave me permission to do this." He slowly leaned in and kissed Victoria on the lips. As he pulled away, both of them muttered the same thing: "Wow." They smiled at each other.

"So I guess this means you're asking me out?" Victoria said. Cody nodded. "Well in that case I accept."

* * *

_Victoria's POV_  
"So sorry if you were expecting something glamorous, but that's what happened," I finished. "So we went out for a bit after that, and we never really got into any serious fights, and...well, you can see where we're at now."

"Actually, I think that _was _glamorous," Lili said, tears framing her eyes—oh, come on!—as she spoke. "Especially the part where he said all that stuff about Zack giving him permission and stuff like that."

"So you feel better now?"

"Sort of. But what if he asks me to—ya know—kind of end up where you and Cody are at now?"

"_Say no._ You don't want this to happen."

"But I thought—"

"Of course I love Cody, and I'm growing on the baby, but I really didn't want this to happen. Never in a million years. Remember that I'm not the best role model, kay?" Finally, I put down the hairbrush I was using to brush Lili's hair the entire time I told the story. "We better hurry up soon, the guys are probably wondering what happened to us."

* * *

_Cody's POV—At the Dance  
_The gym was so packed that you couldn't walk two feet in front of you without coming close to running into someone. Victoria and I spent about fifteen minutes just teaching Trevor and Lili to slow dance, and then leaving them alone when they would finally dance ("Lili! _Move your feet!_") so we could go dance by ourselves. When we did, we mainly talked about life the entire time.

"So...how far along are you now?"

Victoria blushed before answering, "Two and a half months."

"Wow."

"What?"

"This just seems real all of a sudden."

"Well for the one of us that had to puke her guts out every five minutes and have random mood swings every ten seconds, this has been 'real' for a while now!"

"Oh! Sorry, I forgot that I..."

"Just forget it." She sighed. "I just want to get this over with."

"Me, too." I admitted. I looked away. We danced together in silence until the song ended. The rest of the couples seemed to break apart slowly.

The DJ stepped up to the mic. "Okay, okay, I know you're all kind of angry that I played such a slow song, so here I'm going to make it up to you guys!" He put on a fast pop rock song and even started to dance.

_Come along with me  
Let's head out to see  
What this world has for you and for me now..._

"Come on, they just play this song for people who don't have beautiful dates," I told Victoria, leading her off the dance floor and towards the bathrooms. We stood there, talking about the night, school, telling Trevor, and other various topics until Trevor and Lili came over, laughing. "You two have fun?" I asked sarcastically. Lili then told us in a fast, rushed manner (not to mention she was giggling the whole time) about what had happened between her and Trevor. Honestly, I didn't care. Honestly, Victoria didn't seem to care much either. But Trevor and Lili kept rambling on and on until I was half asleep.

"Yeah, that's great..." Victoria said sarcastically. She gave me a look. We had discussed telling Trevor about what happened between me and Victoria for a while, but we weren't sure we'd have the nerve to do it. I sighed, nodding to her. "Trevor, there's something we haven't been telling you..." I started. Lili immediately knew what I was talking about.

"Trevor, Cody and I...well, I'm going to have a baby," Victoria said.

"What?!" he said, completely shocked. "How? When? Who?"

"Me and Cody."

"What?! How? When?"

"Summer break."

"What?! How?"

"I think you know how babies are made."

"What?!"

"Trevor! I think you know what!"

"But...but...you're just teenagers."

"I know. We made a mistake and we won't be making the same one again anytime soon. We just thought it would be fair if we told you sometime soon because we never really did tell you before, and besides in a few months you'll be able to figure it out for yourself anyway, and we wanted to tell you before someone else could. You know how teens gossip."

"I can't believe it."

"I don't either," I muttered.

"Babies are selfish."

"What?" I asked. The comment came from Victoria, and the entire time she loved talking about how well she was going to take care of the baby, but now it's _selfish?_

"Well, think about it. Babies ruin their parents lives before they're even born. They make their poor mothers puke their guts out all the time and other various displeasure. They make their fathers constantly worry. Then everyone makes a big commotion about them before they're even born, or before it's even obvious their mommies are having babies. They're just so damn selfish."

I shook my head and realized that the dance was about to end. "Hey, the dance is almost over. Wanna leave?"

* * *

_Normal POV  
_The four of them left, completely unaware that very close behind them in the girls' bathroom, someone was listening to their conversation.

She smiled to herself, watching Cody grasp Victoria's hand as they left. This was perfect. Ever since Little Miss Perfect came to Cheever's, Cody had been all over her. He didn't even seem to care about anyone or anything else anymore.

But now she knew why. Little Miss Perfect Victoria Baker was pregnant with Cody Martin's baby.

Scandalous.

She called number two on her speed dial.

"Hey. You'll never believe what I just found out about the new girl."

* * *

**I know I promised to get this story to you, Wyntirsno and Kristina, before it was published, but I really wanted to get you a better chapter to you before it's up, and that will be next chapter.** **I really liked this chapter, too, but it was kind of uneventful, apart from the ending. Take a guess on who was on her cell phone...? :) I stole Trevor's outburt ("What?! How? When? Who?) from _Wizards of Waverly Place,_ I thought it was too funny to pass up.**

**Wyntirsno: I always hated Barbara. She's like Bailey to me, they're both characters I would honestly write out of the show if I could, or make them turn on Zack and Cody. I don't know why I hate these two characters but I do. I was going to have Cody tell Trevor but I figured that Cody couldn't really say anything without giving away the whole baby secret, which was a vital ending to this chapter. Nope, Zack's not seeing Angie, even though they took each other to the dance, Zack only took Angie because she looked just like Victoria and he thought Victoria was P-R-E-T-T-Y, hot. ;)**

**Elianna22: I used your suggestion because I figured it was bound to happen eventually. I love you! :D Okay, not really, I just love you because you reviewed! Haha!**

**Jacktupgirl: Thanks!! I love you too (sorta)!**

**Two last things:**

**1. Today, August 23, IS MY THIRTEENTH BIRTHDAY!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! Be sure to send lots of cake and presents my way (cake as in alerts and favorites, presents as in reviews)!**

**2. How did you feel about me putting the _Suite Life on Deck_ theme song in as a song playing at the dance? I put it in because Cody and Victoria met on the _S.S. Tipton _which exists in _SLOD._ It works. :D**

**--Maddie Marie**


	13. Don't Put Baby in the Corner

**Got uber bored. So here's the next chapter. I don't know what to call this one yet. When I name it I'll just type what comes to mind. This one is going to be kind of short. Oh, and I'm not sure what the principal's name is at Cheever's, but I think Carry and Moesby said it was Miss Millitisk, so that's what I'm using until someone tells me the actual name. If you know it, PLEASE tell me!**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Don't Put Baby in the Corner**

_Victoria's POV--The Following Monday  
_After the fall formal on Friday, the five of us (five equalling me, Cody, Lili, Trevor, and...you can probably guess that last one) went out to dinner...er, breakfast...uh, I don't know at IHOP at about eleven P.M. That was fun...especially when we got kicked out for "making too much noise". Then we just decided to go home.

Now, it's time for school. I grabbed my backpack and me and Cody left the suite, waiting outside the Cullen's suite for Lili. She came out, running her purple hair brush through her hair, then shoved it in her backpack.

We walked to school casually, meeting up with Trevor along the way. The conversation kept turning back to me, but I always tried desperately hard to change the subject, and typically it didn't work.

Finally, we reached Cheever's. The students were talking gaily amongst themselves as always. But when they saw the four of us, their chatter ceased to hushed whispers. One person even started giggling when we walked by, and I had no idea what was going on. We all gave quizzical looks as we passed.

We got inside Cheever's, and the whispers continued as we walked the halls. It was very distracting. It felt like...I don't know. It just didn't feel right. We stared at the questioning eyes as we passed. I grew more and more and even more uncomfortable as we walked. The other three also tensed beside me.

"What's going on?" Cody asked as I reached my locker.

"I don't know," I said. I dialed my combination and opened my locker. About a million scraps of paper fell onto the floor around my feet.

"You need to clean out your locker, Tori," Lili said.

"I didn't put these in my locker," I told her, bending down to pick up the papers. I glanced at them as I picked them up.

_Slut!_

_Oh my God you're such a whore!_

_I hope you're proud of yourself skank._

_LOSER._

_You're so stupid! What the hell!_

_Get the frick out of Cheever's, slut._

_Stay away from Cody!_

I gasped, dropping the papers on the floor when I read the latest one. It shocked me too much. I leaned against my locker, practically hyperventilating.

"What?" Cody asked, bending down and picking up the one I referenced in particular. He read it, then froze. "Oh, my God," he whispered.

"What?" Lili took the paper and read it, Trevor reading it over her shoulder. His mouth fell open and Lili's eyes went wide. Her hands started shaking and she dropped the note. I took one last look at it to make sure I wasn't imagining it.

_I thought only cheerleaders got knocked up...apparently nerds do too._

Someone told the school I was pregnant.

* * *

In first period, I tried concentrating on the teacher, but I had a hard time concentrating, what with someone revealing my secret. I knew we wouldn't be able to hide it for long, but I had hoped Cody and I would have been able to reveal it, not someone else. This was horrible; I felt stares from everyone in class. I sank lower in my seat, trying to stay hidden, but that made everyone _more_ interested in me.

The phone rang. The teacher picked it up, listened for about three seconds, then turned to face the class. "Miss Baker, the principal wants to see you."

_Oh no oh no oh no oh no,_ I thought to myself, standing on wobbly legs. I started to take a step forward, when the teacher stopped me. "Take your bag." I gulped, grabbing my bookbag and walking out the door. Everyone stared after me. I shut it behind me.

I went to the principal's office. I hadn't been called to the principal's office before, other than to accept some kind of reward. I knew this couldn't be the case now. Why would the principal want to give me an award the day everyone found out I was pregnant at fourteen? That would be a bad coincidence...and kind of ironic.

As I stepped into the front office, I saw Cody sitting in a plastic chair. Apparently, he, too, was called to talk to Miss Millitisk. I sat next to him. He said nothing. I was silent as well.

Finally, the principal stepped out of her office. "Hello, Miss Baker," she said dryly. "Come in."

I stood up. Cody straightened (he had slumped down in his chair) and mouthed 'good luck' as I stood. I slung my bag over my shoulder, walking to Miss Millitisk's office. I found it surprisingly hard to breathe. I sat down in the chair across from her desk, not taking my bag off my shoulder. It felt awkward in the limited space, but I refused to take my bag off as I awaited my fate.

"So, Victoria," she said. I nodded once, not sure what she wanted of me. She sighed. "Victoria, I got a call from your mother..."

_My mother?_

"...and she told me...certain things." She paused. "Like you went to sea school--which is incredible, by the way, considering not many people get that opertunity. And she said some other things...like that you and Cody Martin are...well...that you're pregnant?"

I sat there, not able to breathe. "Um..." I finally found that I _could_ breathe, so I inhaled deeply. I exhaled slowly, not trusting my own breathing or my own voice. Finally, I said, "Well, yes. That is true."

So I had one question for her, though she wouldn't know the answer: who had called the school pretending to be my mother?

* * *

**Yeah, it's short, but whatever. Thank you for reading.**


	14. Never Again

**yeah. i've totally neglected this account for like a bajillion days. not really. but wow, it's been officially one year since i started this story! *does stupid happy dance* okay, i'm done. i swear. enjoy. i'm gonna start speeding things up after this. profanity in this, yay! :]**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: Never Again**

_Cody's POV--That Day After School  
_I walked out of Miss Millitisk's office shaking. I had never been screamed at before. She had kept us both there all day, questioning us—we had missed every class except part of first. It was hectic—first her, then me, then her, then both of us, then just me again, her, both of us, and finally me one more time.

What a wonderful day.

"So what did the fuzz say?" Lili asked for the millionth time. I ignored her, going over to Victoria, who was standing by her locker, putting books away. She slammed it shut and sighed, sliding down the lockers.

"Dude, we are _so_ fucked," she muttered.

"Yeah, tell me about it," I agreed, waiting for her to catch onto the joke. Eventually she did, stood, and slapped my arm.

"Perve," she said. I cracked a smile for a second but just as soon as it appeared it was gone. I sighed. "You know, V—"

"Don't call me that," she interrupted, but I could detect a faint smile on her lips.

"—we're in so much trouble. We're so dead. I can't believe I tried all my life to be better than Zack and then this happened."

"Oh, don't say that," she said. "You're _still_ better than Zack. He's probably gonna end up sleeping on our living room couch with not even a penny to his name."

"Oh, gee, real reassuring," I said, sighing. She slung her back over her shoulder and the four—five—four—fi—whatever number anyone wants to call it—of us left. We walked home. Now after school Lili and Trevor seemed to prefer our suite to their own home. Of course. Lili flopped on the couch first thing and Trevor practically tried to kill himself on his skateboard.

"How many times do I have to tell you—no skateboarding in the house!" I snapped without thinking.

"Whoa, dude, you sound like my dad," Trevor said. I stared at him in disbelief. "Hey, chill, dude, that's a _good_ thing! You know—what with everything going on and all…"

"_I get it._" I sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day and went over to the sink, grabbing Tylenol out of the cabinet and swallowing them dry. Victoria stared after me in worry. I turned to her and put one arm around her shoulder. "I'm fine, 'kay?"

"I know," she said. However, her tone of voice suggested otherwise.

* * *

After the two people who constantly raid our refrigerator left, Victoria announced she was going to the mall with Lili. She insisted she needed 'Mom clothes'. I took that to mean maternity clothes. She grabbed her wallet, passkey, and sunglasses and dashed out the door.

I was so confused, my head whirling. I knew there was only one thing to do. Shaking, I reached into my pocket and grabbed my cell phone, and, without even looking at the thing, punched 2 without skipping a beat. It rang once before I heard, "Go."

I nearly burst into tears again at just hearing his voice. I missed him so much, and I had completely shut myself away from him, my friends, everyone…except the two people who needed me. Now, suddenly, I felt a twinge of guilt. Perhaps _Zack_ needed me more than she did?

_No, don't think that,_ I thought, mentally slapping myself. _Don't _ever_ think that, Cody. She needs you. Your child needs you. _It was reassuring, but then another thought pushed its way into my mind. _Zack needs you, too._

Shutting my eyes tight, I said, "Hi, Zack."

"Cody? Again? Look, dude, I'm not coming down there again…"

Typical Zack.

"No, Zack. I…I don't…I just need someone to talk to right now." Again I considered telling him. I thought about it long and hard. But I wasn't sure if I could do it. But before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "Victoria's pregnant," and regretted it a second later.

He snorted. "Yeah, and I'm Luke Skywalker," he said. "Dude, the day _she's_ pregnant is the day pigs fly!"

"Uh…yeah…right," I said, feeling almost heartbroken. _My own brother didn't believe me._

"So what's _really_ up?"

"I just don't know if I can handle it."

"Handle what?"

It's time to tell him. "What I just said."

"What did you just say?" Sometimes I hated how ignorant he was. No, correction: I _always_hated how ignorant he was. I groaned.

"I said, Victoria's pregnant. She's going to have a baby. _My _kid. I'm going to have another person to look out for. I'm going to be a father, and I'm scared." There was silence on the other line. I had expected such, but after a minute I grew worried. "Zack?"

"I'm coming down there," he said.

"Zack, no…" I tried, but he wouldn't listen.

"I'm coming down there," he said, "and you're not going to stop me."

* * *

**this was definitely NOT my original plan. in fact, i may start to regret this decision. i dunno. but i'm gonna try it. please review. :] okay, i'm gonna have another chapter after this and then everything SPEEDS UP! yayy! :D**


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